Social Security
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How To Protect Your Social Security Benefits from Identity Theft
Identity theft continues to grow, and your Social Security benefits are a favorite target of the identity thieves. After the thieves obtain your Social Security number and other personal information, they apply for benefits in your name (if you aren’t already receiving benefits)… and then have the money deposited in their own accounts. If you’re […]
What You Need To Know About Taking Social Security Benefits
Confusion and misunderstandings abound in discussions about Social Security. A result is people leave tens of thousands of dollars of guaranteed lifetime income on the table. Perhaps the most misunderstood issue, based on emails I receive, is how working past age 62 affects benefit levels, especially working while receiving retirement benefits. There are several different […]
You Can Beat The Tax on Social Security Benefits
The federal tax rules for Social Security benefits haven’t changed in many years. They remain complicated and snare more retirees each year. A number of my readers are old enough to remember when Social Security retirement benefits were tax free on their federal income tax returns. That ended in the 1980s, and taxes on the […]
How the Social Security Lump Sum Benefit Works: Pros & Cons
Do you know there’s an option to receive up to six months of benefits in a lump sum when initiating Social Security retirement benefits? Not many people do, until they apply for benefits. While this is a nice option, too many people are surprised by it, and don’t receive the benefit package that’s best for […]
Social Security Benefits Increase for 2019
Social Security beneficiaries will receive the largest annual cost of living increase (COLA) since 2012. It’s all thanks to a higher Consumer Price Index and the Fed’s quantitative easing policy. The maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax will increase to $132,000. The earnings limits for workers under full retirement age also […]
The New Rules of Social Security [Retirement Watch Fact Check]
Almost everyone has a Social Security number, and is eligible for Social Security benefits (starting at age 62). Yet, survey after survey indicates people know little about the program and its benefits. Moreover, a lot of what people think they know is wrong. Let’s take a look at some of the key misunderstandings and oversights […]
Is This The Longer Bull Market
There’s a debate over whether the current bull market will become the longest ever on August 22. The debate hinges over nuances and opinions. The problem is there isn’t a clear, accepted definition of a bear market. Those who say a bear market doesn’t begin until there’s been a 20% decline say this is the […]
Social Security: Worse Than Projected?
Social Security is in worse financial shape than reported in the Annual Report of The Trustees of Social Security and Medicare. That’s the conclusion of the Penn Wharton Budget Model of the University of Pennsylvania. The key mistake the trustees are making, according to the academics, is overlooking the effects of federal debt. The model […]
