seniors
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…
The nuts and bolts of the new tax deduction
When President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, many seniors thought they would not have to pay taxes on their Social Security benefits; unfortunately, it did not eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits. However, for…
Western nations are addressing similar public pension challenges
The good news is that more than 74 million Social Security recipients will receive a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment starting in January 2026. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released the annual inflation rate at 3 percent, further…
Where to start during Medicare open enrollment
The Medicare Open Enrollment Period for 2026 is from October 15 to December 7, 2025. During this time, beneficiaries can enroll in a new plan, switch plans, or drop their current coverage, with changes taking effect on January 1, 2026.…
Three main factors affect the size of your benefit amount
The Social Security Administration released the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on October 24th, and it also released the maximum Social Security benefit for 2026. The 2026 maximum benefit amount will be $5,251 per month; however, reaching the maximum amount can…
Do this by Nov. 19
On October 24th, the Social Security Administration announced the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) amount for 2026. Social Security recipients will see the 2.8 percent increase in their January check. However, if you cannot wait until that day, you need to…
Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026
The awaited announcement of the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment has finally been made. Please see this article from the Social Security Administration. Also, if you’re unsure about how these basics apply to you, or if you have any questions…
Understanding Social Security for Divorced Spouses
Divorce is usually traumatic and sometimes acrimonious, but such emotions are absent from Social Security’s rules governing benefits for divorced spouses. If the marriage lasted at least 10-consecutive years, benefits from a former spouse are the same as if the…
Retrospective on “WEP/GPO”
This article on the elimination of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provides a union-perspective of those two Social Security (SS)provisions and how their recent elimination affects nearly 3.1 million public servants. Essentially, the provisions…
“No tax on Social Security:” Here’s the real story
Be careful of campaign promises and political spin – they don’t all happen, and sometimes they may actually happen, but take an unusual and different approach. Such is the case with the bold assertion by the Administration that “income tax…