retirement
Ask Rusty – I’d like to retire early, but don’t want my Social Security reduced
Dear Rusty: I will be 65 this year and my husband is 72 (he retired in 2019 at age 66). I would like to retire and enjoy some time with him before he gets too much older. I do not…
Living on Social Security…How Much is Enough?
With an estimated three-quarters of the senior population reportedly prioritizing Social Security benefits over pensions and personal savings in their retirement plans, it becomes critical to assess the adequacy of this benefit before making a decision. There are a few…
More on “Bridging” Strategies to Enhance Retirement Income
Outliving one’s financial resources is a reasonably common fear among retirees, both current and future retirees. When coupled with the impact of claiming Social Security benefits early, that is, before monthly payments are maximized, this fear can be rather significant.…
Retirement and Taxes: An Uncertainty
Passage of the recent “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” brought with it some much-welcomed tax relief for seniors, specifically with extension of the TCJA rates from 2017 and, of course, the “bonus deduction” intended to offset (for some) the effect…
Rethinking Your Target Retirement Age
Planning for retirement is something many people daydream about frequently during their years in the workforce. And the older you get, the more focused you become, with issues like financial preparedness, health, and post-career interests beginning to sharpen with each…
Why is Social Security so confusing?
Social Security has over 2,700 rules! To make it even more confusing, the SSA website has over 110,000 pages! Then, to make it even more challenging, the rules for different topics aren’t always located in the same section. You have…
Should I delay taking my Social Security until 70?
If you are in a position to delay taking Social Security until 70, it does have its benefits. Your benefit increases by 76% between the ages of 62 and 70. It doesn’t matter if your full retirement age (FRA) is…
Should the US require mandatory retirement contributions besides Social Security?
The United States received a C+ in the 2024 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index because it relies heavily on voluntary savings plans. Other countries require mandatory contributions to personal retirement savings. There are two types of retirement plans, and…
Is a Big Cost-of-Living Increase Really a Good Thing?
The Cost-of-Living Increase (COLA) grows as inflation grows. Estimates for the COLA increase in 2026 are now rising, with some saying as high as 2.7%. Inflation had started slowing down at the beginning of the year and is now rising…
Did you know you can request a replacement Social Security card online?
Tired of being on hold with Social Security to ask a question or make an appointment? Creating a My Social Security Account online can help you avoid that. If you already have a My Social Security Account online and have…