Social Security
Public Employees, Social Security, and Government Pension Offset
Many public employees in the 15 states not covered by Social Security often get a rude awakening at retirement time due to two provisions called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Both provisions were intended…
Social Security Scam Warning
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is issuing a warning about callers claiming to be from the SSA who declare your Social Security accounts have been suspended due to suspicion of illegal activity. It may be a real live person or…
Social Security & Reform: Can we tax our way to a solution?
In this very comprehensive analysis, Dan Caplinger of The Motley Fool takes a hard look at how Social Security is currently funded and what it would take to address the solvency issue solely by adjusting its taxes. Caplinger notes the…
Donald Trump’s Social Security check
Sean Williams of The Motley Fool writes a captivating piece that speculates what the president may be collecting, though it is not known for sure if Donald Trump claimed benefits at age 62, 70, in between, or even at all.…
A “real” raise is in the works for most Social Security recipients in 2019
The cost of living adjustment (COLA) that will take effect in January 2019 will be announced this month for Social Security recipients. Educated guesses by mthose who follow the issue pegs the increase at 2.7%, which is about $38 a…
Take Medicare at 65 but maybe wait on Social Security
Maurie Backman of The Motley Fool answers the important question about whether one should take Social Security benefits at the same time as signing up for Medicare with an, “it depends.” Unless working and covered by an employer’s health care…
Reform ideas to achieve a higher Social Security benefit
Forbes contributor Teresa Ghilarducci points out that most older workers have inadequate savings for retirement. It is well known that Social Security is not enough for most retirees to maintain their living standards. Ghilarducci therefore suggests Social Security should become…
“Looting” Social Security’s Trust Fund Dead Wrong and an Obstacle to Reform
John Attarian is a freelance writer who has completed a book on Social Security. In this piece, Attarian takes on the persistent myth of the Social Security Trust Fund, producing a thorough history of Social Security. As he notes, there…
Prepping for Mid-Terms: Evaluating Candidates’ Claims About Social Security
We’re in the homestretch for the 2018 mid-term election cycle, and candidate ads are bombarding us from all sides. Many of these ads make reference to Social Security and the candidates’ views on handling it, either with a full-on reference…
Surprise! Your Social Security Benefits May be Taxed
For many folks entering the retirement world with an understanding of what their monthly Social Security benefit payment–the benefit they’ve earned through a lifetime of work and FICA tax contribution–will be, it comes as a surprise at tax time to…