Full retirement age
What you should know about Social Security
The Social Security Administration states more than 50 percent of seniors aged 65 and above rely on Social Security for more than half of their monthly income. Another report finds that 40 percent of older Americans rely only on Social…
The pros and cons of starting at 62
You can begin your Social Security retirement benefits early at 62, the most popular age. If you decide to start receiving benefits early, they are reduced, but if you wait until you reach your full retirement age, you are entitled…
Revisiting Some Lesser-Known Social Security Rules
For someone beginning to take their first preparatory look at Social Security, the basics are fairly well known. Age 62 is your early eligibility (with reduced monthly benefits), your full retirement age is based on your year of birth (if…
What you should know before you collect spousal benefits
Coordinating your benefits with your spouse’s benefits can help you to get the most out of your Social Security payments. Your first step in maximizing your Social Security benefits should be to know the rules. There are three rules you…
Ask Rusty – If My Wife Claims Now, Will It Hurt My Social Security Amount?
Dear Rusty: I am 69 years old, and my wife turned 70 early this year. I am still working full time. My wife is not working, but she got a letter from Social Security saying she should take her Social…
Another “Breakeven” Point to Think About
When thinking about breakeven points on Social Security benefits, most of us focus the question on whether or not to file at our earliest eligible age (62) or our full retirement age (66 or 67). if you’re planning to wait…
Op-ed: Raising Social Security Retirement Age Can Help Ease Insolvency issue
Brenton Smith, a policy adviser to the Heartland Institute, explains there is no one solution to fix Social Security’s ills. The program will be unable to pay full benefits in about a decade. Raising the retirement age should be a…
Ask Rusty – About the Fairness of “WEP” and “GPO”
Dear Rusty: I was married to my ex-husband for 30 years. For 14 of those years, I was an unemployed mom and community volunteer. After my sons were grown, I began teaching in California and earned a teacher pension. That…
FRA Setbacks, Means Testing, and the Inevitability of Tax Increases–One Viewpoint
In a follow-on to last week’s GOP Presidential Candidate Debate, and after considering suggestions put forth by candidates Nikki Haley and Chris Christie regarding adjustments to the full retirement age and incorporating additional means testing into the benefit formulas, financial writer…
Understanding the Two Social Security “Do Over” Options
Many folks opt to begin drawing their earned Social Security benefits at the earliest possible age (62), and after the fact realize the long-term implications of accepting the reduced monthly benefit. Or, their financial circumstances change after beginning benefits causing…