savings
Want a Bigger Social Security Payment? Here’s How
In all the years I’ve been working as a certified Social Security Advisor, no one has ever told me that they’re getting too much Social Security. Indeed, quite the opposite is true, as most lament that their monthly SS benefit…
Retirement Planning is an Ongoing Process
Planning for your so-called “golden years” of retirement is often thought of as a one-time event – you get your retirement plan in place and then move on to other things. But that is exactly the wrong approach to adopt,…
Bad News for Social Security Beneficiaries?
This article, though somewhat pessimistic, suggests that Social Security is on a collision course with insolvency in the very near future. And if you regularly read articles published on this website, you are already aware of that dilemma – the…
Retirement Savings: How do you measure up?
For many young people, “retirement savings” is something to think about in the future. But, believe it or not, the future may be closer than you think. Ask anyone in their early sixty’s evaluating if they can retire and how…
Are Social Security Income Taxes Eliminated, or Not?
Well, as we’ve shared in other articles at this website, including our recent Ask Rusty weekly publication, the answer to that is somewhat confusing to explain. Taxes on received Social Security benefits have not, yet have, been effectively eliminated, at…
A $5,000 per month Social Security benefit?
May seem like an unreachable star, but getting a monthly Social Security payment of $5,000 isn’t an impossible dream! As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and that is precisely true when it comes to when…
Demystifying When to Claim Social Security Retirement Benefits
Claiming Window is 8 Years Long Perched high on our list of Frequently Asked Questions is this: “When should I claim my Social Security retirement benefits?” That’s not surprising, since there is an 8 year window, starting at age 62…
The Saver’s Match Begins in 2027
The Saver’s Match was introduced in the Secure Act 2.0 of 2022. Starting in 2027, it will replace the Saver’s Credit, a non-refundable tax credit that reduces the amount of taxes owed. The Saver’s Match provides a direct federal matching…
How Social Security Death Data bolstered Treasury’s Do Not Pay system
Improper payments by the federal government are not a new phenomenon. Improper payments have been a longstanding, widespread, and significant problem, costing taxpayers an estimated $2.8 trillion in the last two decades. To reduce these improper payments, a pilot program…
Turning bricks and mortar into retirement income
The baby boomer generation currently makes up most of the American retirees, and they are sitting on a record $19 trillion in real estate wealth. For some, home equity accounts for one-third of retirees’ financial assets, whereas traditional retirement savings…