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Thinking of retirement soon? Here are some statistics you should know.
It’s been widely reported that many Americans aren’t ready for retirement, but what is the true state of retirement preparedness in America? This Motley Fool article by Matthew Frankel examines five retirement statistics you should be aware of before hanging…
Collecting Social Security and working before your full retirement age.
If you start Social Security benefits before your full retirement age but continue to work, Social Security limits the amount you can earn before they assess a penalty against your benefits. Exceeding that annual earnings limit means that they will withhold…
Should you wait until age 70 to collect Social Security? Maybe, but not always.
With the average Social Security benefit for all workers hovering in the $1,400 per month range, waiting until age 70 to increase your benefit amount can be tempting. But how much you would get and whether it’s worth it to…
Generation X’ers – those between 35 and 50 – are skeptical about getting Social Security. Should they be?
Those in what’s often referred to as “Generation X”, between 35 and 50 years of age, are understandably pessimistic about Social Security being there for them when they are eligible. With today’s baby boomers retiring in large numbers, the strain…
Maximizing survivor’s benefits for both spouses and ex-spouses.
Things can get pretty complicated when Social Security retirement benefits, disability benefits and survivor benefits for both a spouse and an ex-spouse intersect. This question from a person who wants to maximize survivor benefits for his spouse, but also find…
Couples with an age gap should plan for retirement differently.
As if retirement planning isn’t complex enough when a couple is about the same age, the whole game changes if there is a wide age gap between partners in the marriage. Planning takes on a whole new perspective if you…
Think you have your retirement plan well in place? Take another look.
Although a majority of workers think they will have enough money for a comfortable retirement, the average amount of savings most Americans have today calls that opinion into question. The fact is that even if you’ve done your homework and…
Need a replacement SSA-1099? You can get it online
Especially this time of the year, you may find it necessary to get a replacement form SSA-1099, the one that you need to file your income tax and report your Social Security earnings. As this article by Jim Borland, Acting…
Are you “financially fragile”?
You may suffer from “financially fragility” if exposure to any of a multitude of stressful events would leave you in a situation where you wouldn’t be able to make ends meet. Events such as a job loss, healthcare emergency, or…
With traditional pensions fading away, millennials need to get serious about saving for retirement
Not so many years ago, traditional pension plans were fairly common, especially in larger, established companies. But all of that started to change when more and more employers started moving away from defined pension plans to alternatives such as 401(k)’s.…