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Some Thoughts on the Social Security Earnings Penalty
It’s a topic that sometimes catches early claimants off-guard, and in any event it’s a little confusing at times because of its structure, but the Earnings Penalty faced by Social Security beneficiaries remaining in the workforce before attaining full retirement…
More on the Gun-Ban Reversal
The reversal this week of the Social Security Administration (SSA) regulation that would have denied Second and Fourth Amendment rights to tens of thousands of citizens who do not pose a danger to themselves or others has provoked a storm of media controversy. As…
Retirement Surprises – Keep Health Care Cost in Mind!
Information published by the Employee Benefit Research Institute suggests that married couples retiring at age 65 will need more than a quarter of a million dollars to obtain a “90% certainty that they can cover healthcare expenses in retirement (Medicare Part B…
Explaining the Relationship Between DRCs and Spousal Benefits
In response to a question, Retirement Weekly editor and regular USA Today contributor Robert Powell provides an analysis of the impact that Delayed Retirement Credits can have on spousal benefits. Essentially, the bottom line holds that DRCs do not increase the value…
Congressional Review Act Results in Reversal of Gun Ban for Some Social Security Recioients
The December, 2016 Obama Administration ruling that enabled the government to declare “some Social Security recipients unfit to own guns after they’ve been deemed mentally incapable of managing their financial affairs” has been struck down in a 57-43 Senate vote.…
CBO Explores Tax Change for Social Security Benefits
Large federal budget deficits are looming, no secret about that. And in exploring ways to deal with the problem, the Congressional Budget Office is taking a look at various ways to bolster revenue, and one has to do with changing…
“Hold Harmless” Explained
Yes, it’s confusing, and it takes some in depth explaining of the relationships between Social Security and Medicare. Journalist Philip Moeller, in response to several related questions, provides a measure of understanding. Read his article here…
Will Medical Care Outpace the Gross Domestic Product?
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expects the cost of medical care in the United States will grow at a faster clip over the next decade and overall health spending growth will outpace that of the gross…
Retirement Planning: Dealing With the Unknowns
Most people–as high as 8 out of 10–do not know what level of funding they’ll need for the totality of their retirement years. And that’s a result of compounding unknowns, beginning with the big on: how long you’ll live. CNBC…
Home and Community Based Care
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) are pushing legislation to give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services the authority to test potential savings from offering home and community-based care to certain Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older. Read…