retirement
Some reasons why you may want to start early
You can begin your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, if you start receiving benefits early, your benefits are reduced. But if you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to 70, your…
You can retire on less than $1 million
Not every soon-to-be retiree will have $1 million saved, but that does not mean you cannot retire. You will need to plan a reasonable monthly budget, maximize your Social Security benefits, and create a drawdown strategy. It sounds very daunting,…
Are you five years out from retirement?
How close are you to retirement? Are you planning to retire in the next five years? If so, you still have time to finalize your retirement plans. You may need to assess your financial situation, create a retirement budget, and,…
Ask Rusty – Why Can’t I get my Social Security payment plus my Railroad pension from my Ex-spouse?
Dear Rusty: I have a question. I now get a Railroad Pension from my ex-husband. I did not know it was from the Social Security Administration. I want to collect my SS benefits and my Railroad pension. Can I do…
Social Security Increases Repayment Amount on Overpayments
If you find yourself being overpaid by Social Security, you may have to pay it back. These overpayments will start being withheld around July 24, 2025. If you received an overpayment notice issued on April 25, 2025, Social Security will…
What happened to President Trump Eliminating Taxes on Social Security?
Following its passage in the Senate, H.R. 1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”)provides a larger standard deduction for seniors 65 and older. According to a post on whitehouse.gov, it is estimated that the “bonus” deduction will result in 88%…
Determining the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment
COLA is determined each year since 1975, when automatic COLA determination began. It is based on the third quarter of the current year compared to the prior year’s third quarter, July, August, and September. The government uses the Consumer Price…
Social Security Full Retirement Age May Be Raised Again
Once again, the lawmakers must make changes to Social Security to prevent benefit cuts. Amongst the changes being considered is raising the full retirement age (FRA). It could affect the amount of your monthly payment and make you work longer.…
July 2025 Social Security Payment Schedule
It’s time for the July 2025 payments to be released. The payments for SSI will be paid on the first of July, and payments that are a combination of SSI and SSDI will be paid on the third of July.…
Thinking About Taking Social Security Benefits Early?
People appear to be rushing to take their benefits early because many fear it will not be there in the future. This is not a good reason for taking your benefits early, since Social Security will always be there at…