Social Security
Women and Social Security–An Explanation of Why Their Concerns are More Prominent
There is a disparity between the comfort levels men and women have with respect to the role that Social Security will play in their future retirement, according to the Women and Wealth segment of Northwestern Mutual’s 2023 Planning & Progress…
The Timing of Initial Disability Benefits Explained
Once approved, initial claims for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits still have a time period to wait through until monthly payments begin to flow. As explained in a post on en.as.com by researcher Maite Knorr-Evans, this five-month delay is…
Long-Term Debt and Social Security Reform: Yes, There is a Relationship.
The mind-boggling gap between federal revenue and federal spending–pegged at $1.7 trillion for 2023–and the resultant nearly doubling of the year-over-year federal budget deficit is the subject of an analysis by University of Maryland professor Melissa Kearney and former U.S.…
A Cogent Article in Support of Claiming Social Security Early
Certainly, the conventional wisdom on when to begin drawing Social Security retirement benefits depends on several key factors, like your financial position, your expected longevity and family history, and so on. Despite those considerations, age 62 remains the most popular…
2024 Election Cycle Stoking Apprehension Among Those Planning for Retirement
As is true in most planning scenarios–and most definitely in financial planning exercises like those associated with eventual retirement–the unknowns are the factors that make any plan, well, just a plan. And when you talk about unknowns, this famous quote…
Ask Rusty – Can I Voluntarily Suspend My Social Security Payments?
Dear Rusty: My wife retired in 2015 and is receiving Social Security. I am past my full retirement age, and I still work. I recently filed for Social Security benefits and received my first payment earlier this month, and my…
Considering Drawing Benefits at Age 62? Here’s Something More to Think About.
The earliest year of Social Security eligibility is age 62. Most folks approaching that age know this, and it is still the most popular age for initial filing. But one thing that tends to get lost in the excitement of…
Understanding Taxation of Social Security Benefits
For many folks, slightly more than half of all retirees receiving Social Security benefits, the annual federal income tax filing process reawakens the annoyance of having Social Security benefits included in their taxable income. Of course, what makes the process…
Origin of “Ticket to Work” Program Celebrates 50 Years of Progress
Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program, the portion of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, “supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI/SSI) and want to work.” As the Social Security Administration celebrates 50…
Are higher taxes the only solution to Social Security insolvency?
We are all aware – I hope you are – that the Social Security Trust fund will be depleted by the end of 2033, forcing benefit cuts of 20 percent in 2034 if Congress cannot find a solution. So, what…