Social Security
Donald Trump & Social Security: A Most Curious Stance
Susan Ferrechio reports that Donald Trump has abandoned his previous stances pre-2015 on shoring up Social Security with a higher retirement age and private accounts in favor of essentially leaving the program as is. “You don’t have to touch Social…
What is the “You Earned It, You Keep It Act?”
Serah Louis explains a bill being reintroduced in the House by Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) dubbed the “You Earned It, You Keep It Act.” It would repeal the taxation of Social Security benefits, while also extending the program’s solvency by 20…
Social Security Board Nominee in Senate Hot Seat
Esther D’Amico, writing for Kiplinger.com, covers the Senate hearing for Andrew Biggs, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a well known Social Security expert. Biggs was chosen by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to be nominated to…
Proposal: Cut 401(k) Tax Exemption to Fund Social Security Shortfall
Vince Cariaga summarizes here a paper by authors Andrew Biggs and Alicia Munnell from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College that covers new ground. The two propose to fix Social Security’s looming insolvency problem by eliminating tax preferences included…
The “When to File” Decision, Again, But With Guidance for the Middle-Class
Many factors go into the decision on when to begin drawing Social Security benefits, but for middle-class Americans–and that’s still about half of the population, according to Pew Research Center–it becomes more critical to weave the decision into a broader…
A Quick Refresher on Spousal Benefits
Although so much of Social Security’s rulebook involves complicated qualifications, there are a few very basic premises that anyone planning their retirement finances should know. Many folks are already aware of these basics, but it’s still a good idea to…
Government Pension Offset: To Repeal or Not?
Just before last Christmas, Martin O’Malley was sworn in as Commissioner of Social Security. His term will run through January 19, 2025, giving him two full years to wrestle with a lineup of troublesome matters facing this venerable program. First,…
A Quick Review of Spousal/Survivor Benefit Rules
The general issue of which benefits are available to spouses and survivors contains some fairly explicit rules, so it’s always a good idea in financial planning exercises to be sure they’re well understood. The editorial staff at moneywise.com offers a…
“Peak 65” is Here.
According to a morningstar.com post by contributor Jessica Hall, 2024 represents a statistical milestone in the steady wave of people reaching age 65–12,000 per day to be more precise, also referred to as “Peak 65.” This rate of growth in…
Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision: To Repeal or Not?
Just before last Christmas, Martin O’Malley was sworn in as Commissioner of Social Security. His term will run through January 19, 2025, giving him two full years to wrestle with a lineup of troublesome matters facing this venerable program. First,…