Social Security
2020 to bring seven changes to Social Security
While Congress has not changed the law relative to Social Security, the Social Security Administration nonetheless releases a “Fact Sheet” every October. This provides updates on everything from what beneficiaries will be paid in the upcoming year to what it…
Social Security & The Restricted Application
Tom Hager, writing in Forbes, provides a primer on Social Security’s restricted application. Its purpose has always been to allow a qualifying spouse to collect spousal benefits only, while deferring their own worker benefit up to age 70 if they…
Three Social Security Myths and How They Can Cost You
Social Security is one of those topics that just seems to attract “experts”…that is, outspoken sources of opinion and rhetoric comprised mostly of myths and misunderstandings. There are the basic untruths, like “The politicians stole all the money!” and “Illegal…
“Fixing” Social Security–Understanding the “Raise the Cap” Approach
You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: “Just eliminate the Social Security payroll tax cap and the solvency problem goes away.” In fact, you’re hearing it right now via deliberations on HR-860, “The Social Security 2100 Act” now…
7 Reasons Sen. Warren’s Social Security Plan Will Fail
Sean Williams of The Motley Fool takes aim at Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) plan to increase beneficiary payouts by $200 a month, or $2,400 a year. Her plan would also update a number of rules, and set minimum monthly benefits…
How To Increase Social Security Payments After You’ve Retired
There’s no magic bullet to boost Social Security benefits or secret stash of cash for folks despite on-line articles that suggest these things. Essentially the ways to maximize benefits are or should be well known. This piece by ABC news…
Best Advice for Financial Success
With Social Security on replacing about 40% of pre-retirement income and its long term financial health imperiled due to congressional inaction, saving money has never been more important. Katie Brockman reports on a survey from New York Life. The top…
5 Reasons to Retire as Early as You Can
With so many articles stating to delay Social Security and to work as long as possible, Selena Maranjian’s piece here from The Motley Fool provides a different viewpoint. For those who have saved fairly diligently, early retirement is possible. She…
Congressional Budget Office Update to Social Security spending
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued its annual update to its long-term projections on Social Security. Click The latest update to read the full 90 page PDF document or click here for the brief highlights posted by the National…
Scam continues and cost grows
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there have been close to 73,000 reports on the “Your Social Security number has been suspended” scam in the first six months of 2019, with $17 million in reported losses. Cody Miller writes the…