Government-sponsored disability insurance programs are designed by federal, state, and local governments to provide basic income protection (and sometimes medical benefits) to disabled individuals. Although these programs may not offer the comprehensive protection you’d like, they can help you and your family if you can’t work.
Continue reading “Government-Sponsored Disability Insurance Programs”
On October 13, 2020, the Social Security Administration (SSA) officially announced that Social Security recipients will receive a 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2021. This adjustment will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2021. Additionally, increased payments to more than 8 million Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2020.1
Continue reading “The Social Security Administration Announces 2021 COLA”
Whether you want to leave work at 62, 67, or 72, claiming the retirement benefits you are entitled to by federal law is no casual decision. You will want to consider a few key factors first.
Continue reading “Before You Claim Social Security”
The federal government offers some major tax breaks for older Americans. Some of these perks deserve more publicity than they receive.
At age 65, the Internal Revenue Service gives you a larger standard deduction. For 2020, standard deductions look like this for taxpayers 65 and older: single filer or married filing separately, $14,050; head of household, $20,300; married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er), $26,100 (when one spouse is 65 or older) or $27,400 (when both spouses are 65 or older). The standard deductions for younger taxpayers range from $1,650-$2,600 less.1
There are two situations where your standard deduction may be limited at age 65 or older, or disappear entirely. One is when another taxpayer claims you as a dependent. The other is when you are married and filing separately, and your spouse itemizes deductions.1
Continue reading “Tax Considerations for Retirees”
The scam generally starts like this. You answer a call or retrieve a voicemail message that tells you to “press 1” to speak to a government “support representative” for help in reactivating your Social Security number. The number on your caller ID looks real, so you respond. The “agent” you reach tells you that your Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity or because it has been involved in a crime.
Continue reading “How Can You Avoid Falling for the Social Security Imposter Scam?”
The Social Security administration announced a 2% increase in benefits in 2018. The increase is estimated to affect 70 million Americans. The increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) is used to determine the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in order to keep Social Security benefits in line with changes in consumer prices. Continue reading “Social Security Benefits Expected to Increase 2% in 2018”
There are some significant changes to the Social Security program this year which you should be aware of, particularly if you are thinking of retiring soon or already have. One of the most important components of an individual’s retirement plan is the opportunity to receive monthly income from the Social Security program. Over 65 million people received benefits from programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in 2015. Continue reading “Changes to Social Security”
As of May 2016, two popular social security claiming strategies are being eliminated due to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, signed into law by President Obama. These two popular strategies for married couples are known as “File and Suspend” & “Restricted Claims/Application”.
Continue reading “Social Security Options Changing for Married Couples”