Full retirement age
What is the maximum Social Security benefit and how do I get it?
So, what is the maximum possible Social Security benefit? And how much do I need to earn if I want the maximum Social Security? In 2018, the maximum Social Security benefit for a new retiree is just over $33,000 per…
Details You Need to Know About Social Security
Folks doing their research on when to file for Social Security benefits face an avalanche of information that, if not understood well, can lead to a long-term loss of benefits or a short-term surprise. The Chicago Financial Planner’s Roger Wohlner provides…
Entering Your Seventh Decade? Here Are Some Things You need to Know
For those of you aging into the time of life when ideas like retirement, financial planning, and Social Security begin to move further up your priority list, there are so me fundamentals you need to master as quickly as you…
A Summary of Social Security Issues
In a post on www.dailyprogress.com, financial advisor Jorgen Vik takes a look at a variety of issues, ranging from Social Security’s rumored bankruptcy to strategies associated with spousal benefits. He also touches on widow and widower benefits and the presence of a…
More thoughts on waiting to file for Social Security
As the song goes, “Waiting is the hardest part.” Most folks approaching their age of Social Security eligibility understand, at least intuitively, that resisting the impulse to file early produces a higher benefit later. There are reasons, of course, to…
Wait for Full Retirement Age? Maybe, maybe not. It depends.
Conventional wisdom among financial advisors is to wait at least to your full retirement age to claim you Social Security benefits, or longer if you can. But there are circumstances where this might not work best, as explained in this…
Why file for Social Security benefits early?
Despite the repeated media accounts about the virtue of waiting to full retirement age (or longer) to start receiving Social Security benefits, there are some fundamental reasons why it does make sense in some cases to file file at age 62.…
The Importance of Social Security Advice for Women
To say that advice on maximizing Social Security benefits for women is important is an understatement. It’s more than important, given that more than a quarter of women in a study by Harris Poll for the Nationwide Retirement Institute “believe…
Reasons Why DRCs Are Unattractive to Many
According to this post by Sean Williams of the Motley Fool, less than a tenth of retirees elect to take advantage of the Social Security’s Delayed Retirement Credit provision. It’s a guaranteed 8% return on your benefit from fill retiremenht…
Filing for Benefits: The Basic Question
As multimedia journalist Tracy Byrnes point out at the beginning of her post on www.thestreet.com, the first and most basic question you should consider asking yourself is, “Do you really need the check?” Asking this question will help you think through the pros…