Full retirement age
Things you should be doing right now to maximize your future Social Security benefit
You are entitled to full Social Security benefits when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to the age of 70, your benefit amount will increase by eight percent…
Social Security benefits and what may happen in the worst-case scenario
You hear people talking about how Social Security will not be there for them when they retire, even when waiting in line for a table in a restaurant. It is good that people are talking about and aware of the…
The average retired-worker benefit at age 62
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62; however, if you start receiving benefits early, your benefits are reduced. There are advantages and disadvantages to taking your benefits before your full retirement age; however,…
Ask Rusty – When Should I Retire and Claim My Social Security Benefits?
Dear Rusty: I am 64 years old and having difficulty working due to my arthritis, but I can continue part time as a podiatrist. I do not know the best way to determine when to retire. What is the formula…
Ask Rusty – Can My Wife Claim Her Benefit Now, and Switch to a Spouse Benefit from Me Later?
Dear Rusty: Can my wife claim her benefits now (at 63, and we know about the reduction for claiming early) and then, when I retire at 66 years and 10 months of age almost 3 years from now, can she…
Why some Americans claim benefits early
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62; however, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach your full retirement age. And, if you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age…
Social Security rules can be complicated, many people don’t even realize when they made a mistake
Social Security benefits, on average, account for almost 40 percent of retirement income and, therefore, is an important source of income for most U.S. retirees. Social Security becomes more important the longer a person is retired, often accounting for 50…
Working Longer to Increase Benefits–Some Points to Consider in the Argument
As the rhetoric on Social Security reform continues to percolate, one of the frequent topics in the debate is extending the amount of time in the workplace. Financial advisors typically cite the delayed retirement credit (DRC) as an avenue to…
Raise the Retirement Age or Lower It? Gen Z and Millennials Weigh In
Many proposals to address the Social Security program’s evaporating financial reserves include a recommendation to add a few years to the full retirement age (FRA) provision, perhaps extending it as far as age 70 from its current age 67. Advocates…
These rules dictate how much you will receive in retirement
The Social Security Administration reports that 31 percent of the workforce in private industry have no access to pension coverage, and only 16 percent of those without access said they have any retirement savings. A recent Nationwide Retirement Institute survey…