Social Security
Ask Rusty – Can I Claim My Own SS Benefit Now and Get Half of My Husband’s Benefit Later?
Dear Rusty: I would like to get an answer concerning taking my Social Security benefit soon and switching to my spouse’s benefit when he begins to take his. I am 64 years, 9 months old and my husband is…
Why is Social Security so confusing?
Social Security has over 2,700 rules! To make it even more confusing, the SSA website has over 110,000 pages! Then, to make it even more challenging, the rules for different topics aren’t always located in the same section. You have…
Should I delay taking my Social Security until 70?
If you are in a position to delay taking Social Security until 70, it does have its benefits. Your benefit increases by 76% between the ages of 62 and 70. It doesn’t matter if your full retirement age (FRA) is…
Should the US require mandatory retirement contributions besides Social Security?
The United States received a C+ in the 2024 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index because it relies heavily on voluntary savings plans. Other countries require mandatory contributions to personal retirement savings. There are two types of retirement plans, and…
Is a Big Cost-of-Living Increase Really a Good Thing?
The Cost-of-Living Increase (COLA) grows as inflation grows. Estimates for the COLA increase in 2026 are now rising, with some saying as high as 2.7%. Inflation had started slowing down at the beginning of the year and is now rising…
Did you know you can request a replacement Social Security card online?
Tired of being on hold with Social Security to ask a question or make an appointment? Creating a My Social Security Account online can help you avoid that. If you already have a My Social Security Account online and have…
Social Security Can’t Go Bankrupt
Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system, with current workers paying for current recipients. As long as people continue to work and pay into Social Security, it can’t go broke. As a matter of law, all revenues flowing into Social Security…
Social Security Was Never Intended to be Your Only Retirement Fund
Social Security was created as a safety net to keep seniors out of poverty. Social Security was never intended to be your only source of income to live on when you retire. The retirement model is a three-legged stool. 1)…
Taxation of Social Security Benefits
Even though the Big Beautiful Bill includes an additional $6.000 deduction for seniors 65 or older, it did not eliminate the taxation of Social Security benefits. Depending on your income, you may still have to pay taxes on a portion…
Scams Appear More Legitimate with the use of Artificial Intelligence
With the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), you must be more alert than ever before with emails, texts and phone calls that you receive. The scammers can now duplicate almost anything: Your voice, friends’ and family voices, official looking emails…