Social Security benefits, claiming strategies, spousal and survivor benefits.
Cyber attacks have been on the rise with the looming uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. That means our personal information is now more at-risk than ever. Predatory hackers seek to take advantage of vulnerable groups, including soon-to-be retirees and seniors citizens, by exploiting confusion, uncertainty, and anxiety. One of our users, who we will call […]
Whether you’ll rely primarily on Social Security benefits in retirement, or instead view benefits as a supplement to your retirement savings, understanding your eligibility and how to optimize the amount you receive is important. Here, we’ve listed 15 of the most important things you’ll need to know to do just that. 1. There are three […]
Back in 2002, the Social Security Administration noted that, unless there was significant reform, the Social Security system would become insolvent by around 2041. In order to make up the shortfall, the government would either need to cut Social Security benefits by more than 25% or increase Social Security payroll taxes to more than 18%. […]
Most of us don’t really know what our Social Security number means. Why is one person’s number so very different from someone who was born in the same hospital a few years later? Do they recycle Social Security numbers? What do those three sequences represent? And what is a Social Security number? According to the […]
Coronavirus has affected almost every part of our everyday lives – but one, in particular, is critically important for millions of Americans: Social Security. The crisis and uncertainty has already impacted the 61 million Americans collecting Social Security benefits today. For example, Social Security offices are closed and scam callers with supposed ‘news about your benefits’ are […]
Former wives (and all spouses, for that matter) of a worker who dies can receive Social Security divorced spouse benefits, as either spousal or survivor benefits. Moreover, they can receive benefits at the same percentages as widows and widowers), as long as the marriage lasted at least 10 years. That changes if the surviving spouse remarries before age […]
It may seem logical that if you never worked — and therefore never paid into Social Security — that you would not be eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Well, that’s not the case. In fact, there are several different scenarios in which a person can receive Social Security benefits without ever having paid into the system, […]
Where you choose to live, particularly in retirement, can have a big impact on your bottom line. Some states have higher property taxes than others. Some states tax things like food. Some states have no income tax at all, while others tax income including Social Security benefits. Many Americans mistakenly believe that Social Security is not taxable, so […]
Navigating Social Security can be confusing. If you’re wondering how to apply for Social Security benefits, our Application Checklist breaks down what you need to know, step by step. Application Checklist to Apply for Social Security Benefits #1 Calculate the best age to claim Social Security retirement benefits #2 Pick the right date to […]
The average Social Security benefit across the country can vary pretty widely, and that variance has as much to do with the types of benefits being received as it does how much or for how long a worker may have worked. Some of the factors that impact a person’s benefits include: Whether they are receiving […]