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The logic behind WEP and GPO
There are often misunderstood subjects–the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset–and the question frequently comes up from those who’ve worked in jobs, or for periods of time, that did not withhold Social Security taxes from their paychecks. Certified financial…
Short-term Care Policies May Offer Alternative for Some
For those who have not made arrangements for long-term care (LTC) via insurance offerings, there may be an alternative that’s worth at least looking into. Although not very well-known, many insurers have a product line that offers coverage for nursing home…
Understanding Social Security’s “Compassionate Allowances” Provision
For anyone dealing with “early onset Alzheimer’s” or other forms of advancing dementia, it’s important to know that Social Security’s disability program provides for expedited review of claims. Mark Harvey, director of information and assistance for the Olympic Area Agency on Aging,…
Waiting until age 70 to file? You’ll be in the slim minority!
According to an article by The Motley Fool’s Sean Williams, a mere 3% of Social Security recipients wait until age 70 (or later) to begin collecting their earned benefits. In fact, 90% file for benefits at or before their Full Retirement…
The “Unsustainable” Growth in National Debt–A Call for Action!
Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff and author of the Simpson-Bowles proposal to address the federal deficits and escalating national debt, issued a cautionary statement about the future of America’s debt level, noting that if left unchecked, “by 2027…
More tips for your retirement years
The airwaves are full of articles and blogs offering things to think about as you look ahead to retirement. Most if these offerings are helpful, in that they cause one to ponder aspects of their lives they might not otherwise…
Three Steps for Women to Secure Their Financial Future
(Source: Social Security Administration) At Social Security, we know that preparedness is the key to a secured financial future. The steps you take today will shape your life when you’re no longer working. For women, it’s especially important to be…
How To Ease The Financial Pain of High-Deductible Health Plans
(By Emily Bazar for California Healthline produced by Kaiser Health News) No matter what happens to Obamacare, one health care trend is fairly certain to continue: A growing number of you will have high-deductible health plans, whether you’re insured through…
Navigating Retirement–Planning for the long and winding road
Retirement means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but one thing is certain: there will be unknowns, twists, and turns tha only the well-prepared can navigate successfully. MIKE “CY” Cajthaml Jr. of Financial Wealth Management takes…
Life Insurance and Retirement Planning–Perfect Together?
Life insurance is not considered by many to be an important part of planning one’s retirement finances, but there are schools of thought that say there really is a place for this type of product to protect a surviving spouse.…