Social Security
Yes, Social Security IS an entitlement program
The word “entitlement” gets a bad rap when it comes to Social Security. People think it’s a denigration of the program which provides benefits to 64 million Americans. Entitlement conjures up getting something one doesn’t deserve. Alessandra Malito explains in…
Who’s Really Paying for Your Social Security Benefits?
A simple question such as “where do my monthly benefit checks come from” is generally not well not understood by most Americans, as a typical reply might be this– “it’s my money; I paid in; I’m getting it back.” Wrong! Dan Caplinger…
What Every Candidate for Federal Office SHOULD Say About Social Security
Everyone’s Social Security benefits are going to be cut 20% or more in just over a decade, from the 95-year old widow eating tuna out of a can to the checks received by the likes of the Bezos, Trumps, and Bloombergs of…
Democrats spar and Trump weighs in on Social Security
It’s been the third rail of politics for a long time– “touch it and you die.” The “it” is Social Security and even Medicare. The Washington Post dives into the continuing back and forth between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden…
Which Joe Biden will fix what ails Social Security?
“When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well.” So said Joe Biden– in 1995. He’s not getting much love in a Democrat primary, especially from Socialist Bernie Sanders, for taking that courageous view of the…
Which Democrat is most committed to protecting Social Security?
Paul Waldman’s op-ed in The Washington Post takes readers through the positions of the Democrat candidates on Social Security. They are more similar than different, in that nearly all favor tax and benefit increases of some nature. All also oppose…
Social Security & The Presidential Candidates
Precious little has been said on the campaign trail about Social Security this season, and the debate moderators have shied away from questions on the topic. This MarketWatch piece by Alessandra Malita provides a comprehensive overview and summary on where the…
How to Read Social Security Benefit Estimates
Bob Carlson, editor of Retirement Watch, writes an informative piece in Forbes on how to read the statement of estimated benefits mailed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to everyone age 60 and older. This important statement has an individual’s…
Does the Age You Claim Social Security Actually Matter?
Theoretically if one lives to exactly an average life expectancy, then the result is the same no matter when benefits began. Collecting early (one can start as early as 62) means smaller checks, but more of them. Claiming later (age…
Government Pensions Can Reduce Social Security: A Primer on WEP
Christy Bieber explains the Windfall Elimination provision’s (WEP) rationale and what happens in practice to those who worked some of their lives in a job where they paid into Social Security and some of their lives when they did not. As…