AMAC Foundation
The Cost of Medicare Part B is Still Delayed, but Expect a Substantial Increase
Due to the government shutdown, the release of the actual increase for Medicare Part B in 2026 is still delayed. The current estimate is still expecting it to increase from the current premium of $185 to $206.50. An increase of…
Are you earning enough work credits to qualify for Social Security?
You must work for at least 10 years to earn the 40 credits you need to qualify for Social Security benefits. Each year, the amount you need to earn tends to increase. It is driven by the national average wage…
Is it worth delaying your Social Security benefits until age 70?
Age 70 is when you receive your maximum Social Security benefit. You become eligible as early as 62, but did you realize your Social Security benefit grows 76% between ages 62 and 70? If you are in good health, still…
Ask Rusty – Did the Obama-era Social Security Tax Cuts Hurt the Program?
Dear Rusty: I will be retiring early next year but my question to you is: During the Obama administration, payroll taxes that employees pay were cut in half from 6.2% to 3.1%, while the employer’s part stayed the same at…
Your Personal “my Social Security” Account
Think about this: how often do you check on your personal finances, for example, the amount of money in your savings account, or how your investment portfolio is doing? Chances are that the answer is – you check from time…
Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026
The awaited announcement of the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment has finally been made. Please see this article from the Social Security Administration. Also, if you’re unsure about how these basics apply to you, or if you have any questions…
Understanding Social Security for Divorced Spouses
Divorce is usually traumatic and sometimes acrimonious, but such emotions are absent from Social Security’s rules governing benefits for divorced spouses. If the marriage lasted at least 10-consecutive years, benefits from a former spouse are the same as if the…
Demystifying Medicare
Medicare, part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society,” was first enacted in 1965. As it has evolved over the decades, Medicare now consists of four unique “parts,” each designed to provide specific healthcare insurance coverage to American seniors. “Original Medicare”…
Social Security: Claiming early vs. waiting for higher benefits
Claiming Social Security “early” (before full retirement age) is still the most popular option for many American seniors, even though they know waiting longer will substantially improve their monthly benefit. Two recent surveys revealed that nearly half of unretired Americans…
Demystifying Social Security’s “Earnings Test”
Social Security’s “Earnings Test” These days, working throughout one’s sixties and into and even beyond one’s seventies is very common. Recognizing that reality – and considering another which shows that most people today claim Social Security benefits in their early…