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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…
Retirement’s Effect on Housing
Retirement is affecting much of the housing market now that Baby Boomers are reaching age 65 at the rate of 10,000 each day. Those entering retirement are looking for a place to move that fits their needs in the next stage of…
Bill introduced to improve Social Security Disability Insurance back-to-work reviews and stem SSDI fraud
Sen. Tom Cotton, R (AR) has introduced S. 3037, The Social Security Disability Insurance Return to Work Act of 2016, which is meant to help individuals receiving disability insurance benefits under title II of the Social Security Act obtain rehabilitative services…
How Many Women Handle Retirement
15% of women over retirement age are still working, a rate that has doubled from just 10 years ago. Women statistically have a rougher time in retirement than men, especially those that are single or divorced, and they are 80%…