Social Security
Planning for beginning your Social Security benefits
When you are ready to start your Social Security benefits you have to plan on a month without a payment. Social Security pays one month behind. For example, if you start your benefits in June, you won’t receive your first…
Ask Rusty – Can My Wife and I get Spouse Benefits from each other?
Dear Rusty: My wife and I are currently collecting Social Security. We both started receiving SS at 62 years old. That said, we get by on a tight budget. A retired friend told us about an option which allows a…
Social Security Administration Resumes Treasury Offset Program Collections After COVID-19 Suspension
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced the immediate resumption of debt collection activities through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) for debts accrued prior to March 2020. This decision comes after a suspension of collections due to the economic challenges…
Fighting Social Security Fraud Surprisingly Controversial
When did efforts to fight fraud become a political “hot potato?” Well, don’t let it ever be said that even the most obvious improvement plan is immune to political criticism, because that seems to be exactly what is happening now.…
SS Disability: Can the IRS Garnish your benefit?
The short answer is yes – the IRS can garnish your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit if you owe back taxes. But this would likely be something of a last resort to collect back taxes which are long overdue…
Retirement Planning and Social Security go hand in hand
Planning for retirement can be a sometimes daunting event, but something which is exactly the right way to secure your future. Some employers still offer a traditional “defined benefit” retirement plan, though these seem to be losing favor in American…
Social Security Fairness Act: Update
About 3.2 million people were affected by enactment of the Social Security Fairness Act in early January 2025. The media coverage of this event has many Social Security recipients wondering if their personal benefits will be affected. Here at the…
State-by-State Average Social Security Payments
How does your monthly Social Security check compare to others, like you, who reside in your state? Fact is, according to over 75% of those collecting benefits, Social Security is an important part of their retirement income. Indeed, for some…
Seeking Work? Assess your skills first, and use Social Security’s “Ticket to Work” program
Life sometimes changes things for us. Perhaps a disability from which we recover, or finding we need to return to work after retiring (for financial reasons). Regardless of the reason, finding new work these days requires a fair assessment of…
A Realistic Perspective on Reducing Social Security Fraud
Most media accounts of recently announced Social Security changes have been met with criticism by reporters, liberals, and anyone else wishing to label the Administration’s fraud and waste reduction efforts as misguided. But reality is that nearly $72 billion in…