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Medicare Basics and Tips
Social Security is difficult enough to navigate by itself but Medicare is another necessary program that adds to the frustration brought on with retirement planning. As with Social Security, when you enroll greatly affects your finances. Missing your personal enrollment…
Medicare beneficiaries per state for all 50 states & Washington DC
(By Laura Dyrda for Becker’s Hospital Review) How many Medicare beneficiaries does each state have? Continue reading article here…… Notice: The link provided in the text above connects readers to the full content of the referenced article. The URL (internet address) for this link…
Planning for Retirement…Thoughts on Dealing with Challenges
Whether it’s running running out of money, dealing with the time on your hands, or maintaining your health, there are issues you’ll face in retirement. Here are some thoughts on how to look at the challenges these areas might present.…
Another look at the issues cited in GAO report
The incomplete information provided by Social Security claims specialists to people seeking clarification has been the subject of quite a few media reports over the past week. In an article by Aimee Picchi of Moneywatch, the implications of this problem…
SSA Staff losses worsen SSDI backlog
Substantial staffing losses at the Social Security Administration are making the current average of 543 days for an SSDI claims hearing even worse. With more than 1.1 million SSDI applicants already in the backlog, and about a 14% drop in…
The Impact of GPO on Surviving Spouse Benefits
Liz Weston of NerdWallet, in a post on www.latimes.com, provides insight into the Government Pension Offset rule, specifically with respect to its impact on surviving spouse benefits. In her Q&A article, she also addresses two miscellaneous items dealing with financial planning…
Dealing with you shortfall in retirement funds
By design, Social Security benefits will cover less than half of your pre-retirement income. So, what to do about the shortfall? In an article posted by Maurie Backman on host.madison.com, several fundamental steps you can consider to generate cash for support during…
Concerned about a lack of savings for retirement? Here are some things you can do about it.
The National Institute on Retirement Security points out that roughly one-third of Americans in the 55-65 age have no savings for their retirement years. Those of you who are in that category, or know someone who is, might benefit from the…
Which states tax Social Security benefits?
CNBC’s Financial Advisor Playbook (“FA Playbook”) takes a look at the 13 states that currently tax Social Security benefitsin this article posted at www.cnbc.com. Here’s a direct link to the article… Notice: The link provided above connects readers to the…
New to Medicare? Five Things You Should Know
If you are moving from an employer health insurance to Medicare there are five things you need to know to make the transition easier. These tips range from understanding you out-of-pocket exposure to strategic scheduling of procedures, and can help…