retirement
Retirement Planning: Building a Nest Egg is Essential, Despite the Lure of the YOLO Mindset
Many younger and middle-aged adults hear the alarm bells sounded by economists regarding the need to stay dedicated to the thought of saving for retirement. Some popular notions are that by the time you’ve reached 50, you should have accumulated…
Some Important Things to Know About Social Security
In 2002, then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld issued a proclamation that has been referenced repeatedly throughout the years, and it went like this: ““[A]s we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know…
Americans’ Life Expectancy Continues to Nosedive
Following a rebound uptick from the COVID pandemic, the life expectancy statistics resumed their downward trend in 2023, reports an article from the Washington Post. The article, authored by National reporter Dan Diamond, discusses the absence of collaborating political forces…
New retirement saving and rule changes
Why is saving for retirement so hard? Most of us don’t make enough decisions with the future in mind, so it’s easier to do nothing than to make a change. However, saving and planning for retirement will be easier in…
Optimistic about the future of Social Security
Despite all the fear-mongering on social media saying Social Security is going bankrupt and will not be able to pay Social Security benefits, over half of the respondents to a recent survey said they expect to receive Social Security benefits.…
Importance of retirement planning beyond Social Security
The average Social Security recipient received $21,924 in 2023. Social Security is the foundation of all retirement plans, but is it enough for you to survive? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average 65-year-old and older spends an…
New Social Security rules for 2024
The new year is approaching rapidly, which means new rules for Social Security. Some of the new rules you will find will be beneficial to recipients and workers, but the other rules are not so much. The beneficial rules for…
What you should know before you collect spousal benefits
Coordinating your benefits with your spouse’s benefits can help you to get the most out of your Social Security payments. Your first step in maximizing your Social Security benefits should be to know the rules. There are three rules you…
Ask Rusty – If My Wife Claims Now, Will It Hurt My Social Security Amount?
Dear Rusty: I am 69 years old, and my wife turned 70 early this year. I am still working full time. My wife is not working, but she got a letter from Social Security saying she should take her Social…
Another “Breakeven” Point to Think About
When thinking about breakeven points on Social Security benefits, most of us focus the question on whether or not to file at our earliest eligible age (62) or our full retirement age (66 or 67). if you’re planning to wait…