About 65% of initial Social Security disability applications get denied. That number sounds discouraging until you learn that roughly half of those denials are overturned on appeal. The system is designed to say no first and let you prove your…
If you spent part of your career in a government job or other position that didn’t pay into Social Security, the Windfall Elimination Provision will probably reduce your Social Security benefit. For some people, the reduction is modest — $50…
The SSA has a free online calculator that estimates your benefit at ages 62, 67, and 70. It takes about five minutes to set up, and the number it spits out is based on your actual earnings history — not…
When an employer files for bankruptcy, employees and retirees immediately worry about their pension. That worry is justified but often worse than reality — at least for private-sector workers covered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The PBGC exists specifically…
Working after you start collecting Social Security isn’t just allowed — about 20% of Americans over 65 do it. But the financial mechanics aren’t always intuitive. Depending on your age, your earnings can temporarily reduce your Social Security check, increase…
Yes, you can collect a pension and Social Security at the same time. Millions of retirees do exactly that. But depending on the type of pension and whether you paid Social Security taxes during those working years, your Social Security…
Divorce changes your finances in ways that are obvious — splitting assets, adjusting to one income — and in ways most people never think about. Social Security spousal benefits fall squarely in the second category. Many divorced people have no…
There’s no single right answer to when you should start Social Security, but there are plenty of wrong ones. Filing at 62 because “I might not live long enough” is a guess, not a strategy. Waiting until 70 because “bigger…
Your parents probably had a pension. You probably have a 401(k). That shift happened over about 30 years, and it fundamentally changed who bears the risk in retirement. With a pension, your employer promised a specific monthly check for life.…
Most people file for Social Security the moment they’re eligible and never look back. That’s a mistake that can cost six figures over a lifetime. The gap between claiming at 62 and claiming at 70 isn’t just a few dollars…