Finance

Looking Back to 1944 I am submitting this column to my publisher on Sept. 2nd. That day is significant to me because my wife was born on Sept. 2, 1944. That is 82 years ago. And don’t remind me that…

Social Security Fast Facts and Figures If you are doing any kind of research into Social Security issues, the Social Security Administration website has a ton of information for you. SSA’s Office of Research, Statistics and Policy Analysis produces a…

Disability Means Inability to Work Q: I have a friend who has various disabilities. She has hearing problems, chronic arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney trouble and other issues. You name it, this poor woman has had it! Yet despite her…

My wife and I were eating in a local restaurant the other day. In the booth right behind me (within easy earshot) were two women whom I would guess were in their mid to late 60s. They were talking about…

I recently did a couple of media interviews. One was a podcast and the other was a radio show. The hosts of both media outlets asked me essentially the same thing: “What are the most common questions people ask about…

Questions continue to arrive in my email about required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts, and with good reason, considering the amount of change (and confusion) for RMD-related regulations that came from the two SECURE Acts, which were signed into…

There are so many Social Security-bashing screeds floating around on the internet that are I could spend every one of my weekly columns just trying to set the record straight. These things usually get passed around from one gullible and…

Recent announcements by the Social Security Administration (SSA) raise concerns about getting through to the SSA when you need to. The issue is the adoption of more strict procedures to protect your identity. Are they workable? Visit or online: Individuals…

There is so much misinformation about the Social Security program and the conduct of the Social Security Administration that I simply cannot keep up with it. I feel bad because I’d like to write my normal columns in which I…

It’s not unusual for parents to help their adult children, even if it means making a financial sacrifice. A 2024 Financial Independence Survey by Bankrate, a consumer financial services company, reported that 61% of parents or guardians “are currently sacrificing,…