Social Security
Will my Grandchildren get Social Security? Yes, but…
Perhaps it goes back to a Pew Research Center survey that asked Millennials whether they believed Social Security would be there to provide them a benefit at retirement, and a majority (51%) said no. Or perhaps it is the yearly Trustees…
Can’t Wait Until 70 to Start Benefits? The Next Best Time is…
Experts are near unanimous when they say starting Social Security benefits comes down to the key question of how long one expects to live. But, as Lorie Konish of CNBC notes, for a lower earning spouse, it generally does not pay to wait to claim benefits…
Social Security’s Costs: Are We Better off Without it?
Social Security payroll deductions consume a large component of workers’ paychecks at 12.4%. This amount is split equally between employee and employer, with self-employed individuals paying the full amount themselves. For many, this is more than they pay in federal income tax. …
Social Security Broke? No. In Trouble? Yes.
Steve Vernon describes the fears about Social Security’s demise as unwarranted, given that the 2018 Trustees Report is essentially the same as the 2017 report. But, of course, we are one year closer to that 2034 year of insolvency. Still,…
The Impact of Stopping Work Before Claiming Benefits
In a Q&A post on forbes.com, contributor Larry Kotlikoff answers a question from a reader who left the workforce at age 63 but has not yet filed for benefits. His question dealt with the impact that this early exit from the…
Don’t Let Reports of Social Security’s Demise Guide You
The long-term solvency of Social Security has been in the news quite a bit lately. Attention on the issue ramps up with each year’s publication of the Social Trustees Report and the dire warnings contained in it–forecasts of the program’s…
Couples: Retirement Planning is a Joint Responsibility
Many couples seem to be uncomfortable with “the talk” (about retirement finances), or perhaps unsure of how to actually focus on “the talk,” and that could be devastating to their long-term future. But the need to focus on savings, Social…
Social Security Reform: Hitting the Nail on the Head
It was a statement made five years ago, but it’s even more relevant today as we continue to roll closer to Social Security’s projected insolvency. The statement, as highlighted in a post today by The Motley Fool’s Sean Williams on www.fool.com,…
Entering Your Seventh Decade? Here Are Some Things You need to Know
For those of you aging into the time of life when ideas like retirement, financial planning, and Social Security begin to move further up your priority list, there are so me fundamentals you need to master as quickly as you…
The Elusive Financial Independence
Today is Independence Day, and that’s a great milestone to honor. But for many Americans, true and absolute financial independence remains out of reach. The Motley Fool’s Sean Williams takes a look at statistics that say “Only one in 10…