Tag: Social Security

Accounting Critic Says Biggest Problem Facing Social Security, Medicare Are Trillions in Unfunded Debts

Social Security and Medicare trust funds are in dire financial condition due to rising benefit costs, but the biggest problem facing the two largest federal entitlement programs is how they are funded, according to a non-profit that advocates greater government transparency and accountability. “Our bottom line is the trust funds are all a shell game,…


Accounting Critic Says Biggest Problem Facing Social Security, Medicare Is Trillions in Unfunded Debts

Social Security and Medicare trust funds are in dire financial condition due to rising benefit costs, but the biggest problem facing the two largest federal entitlement programs is how they’re funded, according to a nonprofit that advocates greater government transparency and accountability. “Our bottom line is the trust funds are all a shell game, there…


Officials Agree Social Security, Medicare Are in Deep Trouble, but Solutions Mean Tough Choices

Social Security will be unable to pay full benefits a year earlier than previously projected, while Medicare’s insolvency date remains just five years away, according to the latest trustee reports. But nobody in the nation’s capital is stepping up with proposals to fix the two largest federal entitlement programs. Between them, Social Security and Medicare…


NTD Business Full Broadcast (Sept. 1)

Social Security trust funds face earlier than expected depletion, largely because of the pandemic. Recipients face far smaller payouts. Walmart is giving New York City another shot. This time it’s teaming up with Instacart to deliver to parts of the big apple.


Full Retirement Age: What’s the Big Deal?

I am always getting emails from readers who are so hung up on making sure they start their Social Security benefits at their full retirement age. They don’t want them a month before. They don’t want them a month after. They want to make darn sure that their benefits start at their full retirement age….


You Misunderstood What I Wrote

I’ve been explaining Social Security rules to people for almost half a century now, and I’ve been writing this column for almost a quarter century. I think I do a pretty good job of helping people understand Social Security rules and regulations, and I do it in simple and easy-to-understand language. So I’m always surprised…


I’ll Tell You What’s Right With Social Security!

I get a lot of emails from readers that start with some version of the phrase: “I’ll tell you what’s wrong with Social Security!” And then they go off on a little bit of a rant, almost always citing some misinterpretation of Social Security laws. In the past, I’ve written a similar column with all…


What You Should Know About Supplemental Security Income

This is going to be a column about Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. In other words, it will NOT be a column about Social Security. Supplemental Security Income and Social Security are two entirely different government programs. They really have nothing to do with each other, other than the fact that they are both managed…


Handling Social Security Affairs When Someone Dies

I wrote a column about a year ago based on an email from an 85-year-old woman whose husband of 60 years was near death. She was asking me how to deal with Social Security matters after he passed away. That column struck a chord with many people. For example, many readers told me they were…


Social Security 101

Sometimes this column can get into some complicated or esoteric Social Security rules or circumstances. But it dawned on me that many of the emails I get from readers are asking questions about some pretty basic Social Security stuff. So this week’s column will be like a refresher course in Social Security. I will just…