seniors
A Perspective on Taxation of Social Security
“How can I avoid having my Social Security benefits taxed?” That is a question we are regularly asked here at the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service. And the unfortunate answer for many who ask is that “you cannot!” As the old…
More about Social Security’s financial future
Unless you pay little or no attention to the news these days, you are already aware that Social Security is facing a financial issue in only about 6 years (2033). We’ve chronicled that fact fairly often at this website. Continuing…
Continuing Improvements at SSA
In his continuing quest to improve customer service at the Social Security Administration, Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano announced yesterday that SSA is bringing Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) back in-house and under direct management by the agency. CRS’s, formerly done by…
Retirement Advice deemed “The Best”
We always look carefully whenever someone claims to have “the best” advice for anything, but this Kiplinger article provides an excellent synopsis of the things you should be looking at for “retirement planning.” From evaluating your life expectancy, to investment…
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…
Social Security Legends, Lies, and Misunderstandings
It never ceases to amaze me how some legends and myths grow over time, to the point that they are viewed as true, regardless of how inaccurate they might be. “Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth”[1] The…
Changes to Social Security are Coming Soon (hopefully)
If you are searching for good news about Social Security’s looming financial insolvency, it can be found in a recent estimate by Social Security’s actuaries that the Trust Fund balance wasn’t depleted as much as anticipated in 2025. But that’s…
For Veterans: How to Avoid Scams
AMAC (the Association of Mature American Citizens) and the AMAC Foundation have long been advocates for our veteran community, as evidenced by our Veterans Outreach program (see this). And in keeping with our commitment to our veterans of military service,…
Demystifying Social Security for Couples
For a couple, developing a Social Security (SS) claiming strategy can be challenging because there are several key factors which, together, influence the best claiming option for each partner. Those key factors are: ● Personal benefit disparity (difference between each…
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,…