Prior to the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, Social Security (SS) benefits were quite generous for married (and even for divorced) couples, particularly for those with dual incomes. Spouses were not only entitled to benefits based on their own earnings, but also based on their spouse’s earnings. And the rules allowed them…
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Social Security is one of the few retirement pensions whose annual payments increase over time based on actual inflation. Few other private or public pensions provide this valuable benefit. Neither do annuities. Unfortunately, the cost of goods and services that seniors predominantly face has collectively risen faster than the broader Consumer Price Index for Urban…
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Have you ever wondered why retirement in the U.S. is considered to start at age 65? After all, there’s nothing sacrosanct about that particular age. Most people are capable of working well beyond 65, while many of those fortunate enough to have amassed sufficient wealth prior to reaching that milestone are happy to retire earlier…
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Anyone who has contributed to an Individual Retirement Plan (IRA) is likely aware of the plan’s primary restriction, namely that you cannot withdraw the money until you reach the age of 59½.  At the same time, the government didn’t want this restriction to be too onerous, so rather than making it impossible, they simply decreed…
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