retirement
Thinking of Retiring Early? Read this first.
Early retirement – that is, retiring from your working career and living a life of ease and comfort – is something that all of us dream about as we approach our senior years. And while it is certainly a good…
Are We Approaching Social Security Reform the Wrong Way?
According to one Social Security pundit, we are approaching U.S. Social Security reform all wrong. In this article by Andrew G. Biggs of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), the author contends that all policy discussions about Social Security reform center…
Concerned about Social Security? Don’t be!
If you pay attention at all to media accounts and armchair pundits, you are already aware that Social Security has a looming solvency issue, expected to come to a head in less than a decade. According to the Trustees of…
Demystifying Child-in-Care Spouse Benefits
A Spouse Can Get Social Security Benefits Before Age 62 Most couples know that age 62 is the normal minimum age to apply for Social Security spousal benefits. But many are not aware that spouse benefits are available to spouses…
Will Social Security and Medicare Benefits Continue with the Government Shutdown?
The “government shutdown,” resulting from a disagreement between political parties on whether to continue funding the government while certain issues are unresolved, will likely continue for a while yet, according to this Motley Fool article. But will that affect your…
Claiming Social Security in 2026? Here’s how to prepare.
Are you planning to take your Social Security benefits in 2026? Then it is important to be aware of several changes which can permanently affect your monthly benefit amount, and how you pay income tax on your benefits. Your benefit…
Demystifying Your Social Security Benefit
Your Social Security Benefit Winston Churchill famously described the Soviet Union as “a riddle inside an enigma wrapped in a mystery.” That is also an apt way to describe your Social Security benefit, or so it seems when trying to…
COLA and You!
In mid-October every year, we learn what our Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) will be for the upcoming year. For most seniors, their Social Security payment is a major source of income, and COLA is applied to your SS monthly…
Ask Rusty – Do I Need to Sign Up for an Online Social Security Account?
Dear Rusty: I recently I heard the tail end of a radio program which was discussing “signing up for my Social Security account.” I am now 76 years old and have been receiving my SSA monthly amount directly into a…
Medicare Advantage is changing for many!
“Medicare Advantage,” also known as “Medicare Part C,” will undergo some significant changes for 2026. Thus if you currently have a Medicare Advantage plan, be sure to do your due diligence as the new year approaches! Medicare Annual Open Enrollment,…