seniors
The disadvantages of claiming at 62
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits only when you reach your full retirement age. There are advantages and disadvantages to taking your benefits before your…
Stop pretending that nothing is happening to Social Security
How important is Social Security to the American seniors? According to a recent survey from The Senior Citizens League, “67 percent of seniors said they rely on Social Security for more than half their income.” Among Social Security beneficiaries age…
Are you at risk of a smaller benefit due to defaulted student loan?
The U.S. Department of Education announced its Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) will resume collections of its defaulted federal student loan portfolio in May. The Department has not collected loans in default status since March 2020. Out of the…
Ask Rusty – Social Security Questions Asked Over Coffee
Dear Rusty: My coffee conversations with a group of friends have resulted in several questions about Social Security: Dear Curious: Thank you for your readership, and I’ll be happy to tackle your “over coffee” questions about Social Security: This article…
Heavy Traffic Ahead for Serniors Needing to Interact with Social Security Field Personnel
Several staff cuts, operational modifications, and procedural changes have been implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to achieve cost savings across the Social Security spectrum. While that may produce the desired spending reductions, it will also exacerbate the…
Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act
Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 was reintroduced by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. and Mark Warner on May 20, 2025. The bill if passed will establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under…
The “Big, Beautiful Tax Bill” still needs some attention!
The House Ways & Means Committee has published it’s “one big beautiful bill” to provide government spending in the next fiscal year. And that bill does, in fact, have some very positive aspects, most notably extending the expiring 2017 tax…
About Retiring from a Long Working Career
I remember it well – my first day of retirement from over 40 years working in my chosen professional career. It was a day of both trepidation, but excitement looking forward to living my days according to my own rules,…
About Taxation of Social Security – Most States do not tax benefits
There is a lot of media attention about income tax on Social Security benefits these days, what with Congress debating the possibility of eliminating Federal income tax on SS benefits (as President Trump has asked). But in all the hoopla…
The ongoing Saga of Social Security’s “Full Retirement Age”
Although, for many years, age 65 was considered to be the normal retirement age, for Social Security purposes that changed with legislative changes made in 1983. In that year, legislation was enacted which gradually raised the age at which full…