savings
About Social Security’s “Full Retirement Age”
Social Security’s “full retirement age” or “FRA” is when you get the full benefits you have earned from a lifetime of working. Those full benefits, based on your highest-earning 35 years, will be available at your FRA which, this year,…
2026 Social Security – Changes You Should Know
Social Security is an ever-evolving program, with certain changes automatically implemented every year. These changes are automatic and generally are based upon several government measurements, such as the Consumer Price Index and the Average National Wage Index, among others. Most…
Ask Rusty – If We Both Collect Social Security, will our Benefits be Affected?
Dear Rusty: I reached full retirement age back in June, but I have not yet filed to collect Social Security. My husband currently collects SS funds, and he waited until he had reached full retirement age a few years ago.…
Don’t Spend that extra SS money yet – Medicare will cut into your COLA increase!
In an announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), we were told that the new cost of our Medicare Part B coverage for 2026 would be $202.90, instead of the $185 per month we paid in 2025.…
Closing the “Retirement Savings Gap”
It’s pretty well recognized, especially among financial planners, that Americans suffer a fairly large “retirement savings gap” – that is, they have less in savings than they will require in their so-called “golden years.” That is, of course, an unfortunate…
CMS Announces 2026 Medicare Costs
Somewhat delayed by the recent government shutdown, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finally announced the costs seniors will be required to pay for their healthcare coverage. As you likely know, Medicare consists of several “parts” called…
Looking to Increase your Retirement Savings? Here’s some good news!
For those of us who see retirement on our horizon, saving as much as possible for those “golden years” is essential. And many choose to use traditional IRAs to bolster our savings, or contribute to our employer-sponsored 401(k) or 403(b)…
Two biggest regrets of retirees
“Small amounts saved daily add up to huge investments in the end.” – Margo Vader The two biggest regrets of the majority of retirees are not saving enough and not starting to save early, according to the latest study by…
Taking the necessary steps to avoid mistakes in retirement
Your retirement is almost here. Your plans to play more golf, visit the grandchildren, and just enjoy your life now that you are no longer accountable to a time clock. But before you start to celebrate, you need to avoid…
Is retirement unattainable?
A recent survey from TIAA Retirement Solutions found “the traditional goal of retiring between the ages of 65 and 70 is considered unattainable by two-thirds of Americans today, and many expect to work as long as their bodies will allow…