Latest News
Disability Benefits: Protection against the Unexpected
(Source: Social Security Matters) Disability is unpredictable and can happen to any person, at any age. Millions of Americans live with disabilities that are the result of a sudden traumatic event or onset of a serious medical condition. Social Security…
Who Does Social Security Help?
Social Security effects tens of millions of Americans, there are almost 60 million current beneficiaries. The average annual pay out to these beneficiaries is $14,776 and covers retirees, disabled persons, and children. Sometimes it can be easy to forget how…
Debunking some of the sources of stress in retirement planning
People in the throes of developing a financial strategy for their retirement years face considerable stress, but how much of its caused by the advice they’re given? This Huffington Post article by Interscan Corporation’s Michael D, Shaw provides some thoughts on…
More advice for married couples
In the wake of this year’s changes to the rules for spousal benefits, there are still steps couples can take to maximize their Social Security benefits. Certified Financial Planner Paul Norr, in a post on www.financial-planning.com, takes a look some strategies…
FAQ: Hospital Observation Care Can Be Costly For Medicare Patients
(By Susan Jaffe for Kaiser Health News) Some seniors think Medicare made a mistake. Others are stunned when they find out that being in a hospital even for a couple of days doesn’t always mean they were actually admitted. Continue reading…
Current Retirees Feel More Secure than Current Workers
The number one stress for current workers is saving for retirement. However, those already in retirement are polling at 75% for feeling financially comfortable for their future, even while living off of less income than their working peers. There are…
Being Average is not Good Enough in Saving
The average rate of saving for retirement is not nearly enough for most Americans. Being average in this regard still sets you behind of where you want to be. Many point to the Great Recession as the cause of our…
Audits Of Some Medicare Advantage Plans Reveal Pervasive Overcharging
(By Fred Schulte for NPR) More than three dozen just-released audits reveal how some private Medicare plans overcharged the government for the majority of elderly patients they treated, often by overstating the severity of certain medical conditions, such as diabetes…
Hospital Surprise: Medicare’s Observation Care
(By Franics Ying and Thu Nguyen and Lynne Shallcross for Kaiser Health News) Hospitals provide observation care for patients who are not well enough to go home but not sick enough to be admitted. The care may seem just like…
Spousal Benefits vs. Survivor Benefits – An Explanation
Paul Norr, a certified financial planner with Bucks County Financial Planning Group in Thousand Oaks, California, takes a detailed look at the rules associated with the spousal and survivor benefit provisions of Social Security. His post on www.onwallstreet.com delves in the…