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The On-going Saga of Social Security Maximization
Noted Social Security writer Tom Margenau is often seen in the media commenting on specific issues relating to retirement benefits, and one of his more frequently-addressed topics is the file-and-suspend, file-and-restrict strategy. In a post appearing on tucson.com, Tom provides a recap…
Understanding the taxation landscape in retirement
Lots of things change when you finally hit those retirement years and, while some of the change is expected, there are other parts that may not be anticipated. The burden of taxation, for example, is one that doesn’t disappear along…
Are You Making This Dangerous Retirement Planning Mistake?
(Source: Social Security Administration) I am concerned that many of you are banking on a retirement strategy that may not work out. According to a national survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, more than four in 10 Americans say…
Grandparents, listen up…there’s a lot about Social Security you can share with grandkids.
From the importance of planning for the future, to the mechanics of Social Security as it exists today, there’s quite a bit of insight your years of experience equip you to share with your grandchildren. Not the least of these insights…
For some, retirement finances are not as glum as feared
New studies by economists at the Investment Company Institute and the Internal Revenue Service suggest that there is a segment of the retired population “able to maintain or increase (its) spending slightly once they start receiving retirement benefits,” The combination of Social Security…
Social Security Reform–Finding the “Middle Way”
Despite the deep divide that exists in the nation’s capital, it is clear that some common ground must be found to achieve a long-term resolution to the Social Security Trust Fund dilemma. Lowell Arye, in a post today on www.theintell.com, stresses…
Do you have enough to retire? How do you know?
The National Institute on Retirement Security reports that retirement savings are “dangerously low,” pegging the U.S. retirement savings deficit somewhere between $6.8 and $14 trillion. How about you? Do you have a good handle on how much you will have and how…
Social Security Administration working on fraud problem, official says
Stephen Dinan of the Washington Times reports on comments made by Sean Brune of the Social Security Administration at a 4/26 House Ways and Means Committee meeting, noting that although estimates of the magnitude of the fraud problem are unavailable,…
Adjusting to Retirement Life: Can You Think Differently When You Get There?
Saving for those retirement years takes a sense of frugality and consistency, as every successful retiree knows. But what about when you reach that point? Many folks have difficulty reshaping their attitudes about income and investments and, in general, how…
SSA has made ground in reigning in disability fraud, but a more systemic approach is needed to correct the problem.
The results of a recent Government Accounting Office (GAO) study of the Social Security Administration’s fraud risk management processes found some positive changes in the agency’s fraud prevention culture, but concluded that SSA “has not yet comprehensively assessed these fraud…