Social Security
The Complex World Of Social Security Spousal Benefits
Jamie Hopkins of Forbes notes that many people are familiar with how their own Social Security benefits work. However, fewer are aware of how spousal benefits work, and spousal benefits can be complex with numerous claiming options and factors to…
Social Security and American Public Opinion
Frank Newport is a senior scientist at The Gallup organization. He examines a plethora of polling data on Social Security in this piece. For starters, Social Security isn’t called the third rail of politics for nothing. Americans consistently say that…
Why a Bigger Social Security Program Would Make Us Worse Off
Rachel Geszler’s thoughtful piece in The Daily Signal explains the problems with The Social Security 2100 Act, likely to pass the House soon. It would make Social Security solvent and head off 20% plus in benefit cuts for all due…
The myth that’s become a full blown Social Security conspiracy
Contributor Eliana Block cites The Social Security Administration and three independent experts who concur that no funds have ever been misappropriated from Social Security or its Trust Fund. One of the experts, Alex Lawson, states unequivocally, “”By law, the funds…
Why Social Security Faces a Funding Shortfall
Why are Social Security’s finances so shaky? As Maurie Backman explains in this piece, there are three main reasons: First, too many baby boomers are retiring at once. Second, not enough younger employees are entering the workforce to replace them.…
How to Retire Rich Without Social Security
Social Security is facing long term financial challenges, with benefits cuts to all due to take effect in 2034 or 2035 without congressional reform before then. Nilus Mattive of The Daily Reckoning suggests five strategies that would allow one to…
Social Security – Broken and in need of repair
Mum’s the word from The Trump Administration and all 24 Democrat presidential candidates when it comes to fixing Social Security. But why? Each of the candidates is intelligent and has surely been briefed on the annual report of The Social…
Does taxing the rich more to save Social Security make sense?
Sean Williams presents a solid reason for and a solid reason against raising the tax cap on Social Security wages to fix the program’s long-term financial woes. Currently workers pay 12.4% in payroll taxes (split evenly between employee and employer)…
Social Security billing problem with Medicare premium deductions
About 250,000 Social Security recipients have not had their correct Medicare Advantage or Part D premiums deducted properly for five months. The Social Security Administration (SSA) just discovered the problem. That means a quarter of a million people will soon…
Younger Workers Ready to Give Up on Social Security
In yet another in a slew of polls in as many years, pessimism about Social Security abounds. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2019 Planning & Progress Study, 22% of non-retired Americans think it unlikely that Social Security will be available to…