Social Security
Is claiming Social Security 65 right for you
You can apply for Social Security retirement benefits starting at age 62, with the option to delay until age 70 to increase your monthly payments. Filing at age 62 results in a permanent reduction of your monthly benefit compared to…
Ask Rusty – Must I Set Up a Social Security Account to Enroll in Medicare?
Dear Rusty: I turn 65 this November 2026. Someone told me I need to set up a Social Security account at least 3 months ahead of time before applying for Medicare for the first time. I do not intend to…
What working one more year could do
Your Social Security benefit is based on your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for wage growth, and calculated using a formula that produces your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is then adjusted for your claiming age. Even if you…
Estimates for the 2027 COLA increase
Based on the March’s consumer price index data, Social Security experts have issued an estimate of the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). COLA is based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers…
Taxes and Social Security
Social Security income may be federally taxable, depending on your income. This catches many retirees off guard, especially since the passing of the One Big Beautiful Beig Act, which includes tax deductions for seniors. Marc Guberti, writing for GOBankingRates, explains…
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 and ending at age…
Who Will Solve Social Security’s Financial Crisis?
Congress has been kicking this can down the road for a long time. For several decades, the Trustees of Social Security have warned, in their annual report to Congress, that Social Security is facing a financial crisis. For many years,…
Claiming too Early Could Hurt Your Spouse Later
Deciding when to claim Social Security is always a challenge, and far too many make that decision without fully understanding the consequences. It’s confusing, especially since there is a window of about 8 years during which you can claim SS…
A Misguided Approach to Solving Social Security’s Financial Issue
In this somewhat scathing indictment, noted economist Alicia Munnell discusses a proposal by U.S. Senators Cassidy and Kaine to solve the Social Security program’s financial woes through borrowed funding. The so-called Cassidy-Kaine Proposal suggests that the federal government borrow $1.5…
A Resource for You; A Mission for Us
Every story begins with a vision. And almost every vision begins by recognizing a problem that needs fixing. Such is the case with this story – one of a problem recognized some years ago, which resulted in a vision, which…