Should a reader's wife take a Social Security benefit at age 62? What happens to the Social Security Spousal Benefit? Here's this week's Question and Answer about Social Security. Should my wife take my Social Security benefit? Q: I would like your opinion on a Social Security question we have for my wife. First, I’ll [...]
Your ability to qualify for a mortgage is dependent on your income. Even if you're on a fixed income, including disability income from social security, you may still be able to qualify. Q: I own my home on just over two acres with a pond. I recently had a house fire but had no insurance [...]
“Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.” I remember hearing that from my mom when I was growing up, and it still serves me well today. Some of the things you might have heard or read about Social Security may not be true. Here are five Social Security myths you [...]
The day is finally here. After decades of saving, diversifying your portfolio, and managing your investments, you’ve entered retirement. You’re ready to transition from saving for retirement to withdrawing from your accounts, but how can you make sure that your money will last as long as you need it? “The best advice,” says Lee Baker, [...]
Congratulations – your new baby has finally arrived. With this new addition comes added responsibility that can make it easy to forget about all the important things you need to do. While taxes aren’t the first thing you think about when your new baby arrives, forgetting anything on this list could have you scrambling come [...]
So you’re getting married and you’ve opted to change your last name. Congratulations! But as you’ll soon find out, changing your name is not quite as simple as just signing the marriage license. You need to notify a number of different agencies about your name switcheroo. It’s a bit of work, but don’t worry—it’s not [...]
Are my Social Security benefits taxable? That sounds like such a simple question, doesn’t it? The answer should be either “yes” or “no.” But I’m talking about the U.S. Income Tax Code, so of course it’s not that easy. In fact, the correct answer is both “yes” and “no.” First let me make one thing [...]
If retirement is on your radar for 2014, it’s important to start preparing to leave the workforce. Retirement is sweet, but it can quickly turn sour if you find yourself bored or, worse yet, on the verge of outliving your retirement savings. To help you ease into retirement, here are three retirement tips you might [...]
Many Americans will rely on Social Security benefits in retirement, but the way their benefits are calculated could be set to change. Currently, Social Security uses a cost of living adjustment (COLA) to determine how much retirees and other people in the program get paid from year to year. During most years, the COLA adds [...]
Meeting an insurance agent and buying an insurance policy for the first time is sort of like going on a blind date. You’re hoping to find someone who makes you happy and fulfills your needs. But while you know a little bit about what you want, you’re not quite sure what you’re actually going to [...]
