Collecting Social Security Benefits While Living Abroad

You may be are curious about how living as an expat abroad (or traveling for an extended period) may effect your Social Security Retirement Benefits. Fortunately, the rules are not too complicated. Read more

Understanding the Social Security Claim and Suspend Strategy

Personal finance writers and married baby boomers have been talking and thinking a lot about different ways to maximize total Social Security benefits for the married couple. One of the most frequently discussed approaches is the “claim and suspend” strategy. There is a lot of confusion about how this works. Read more

Test Your Basic Social Security Knowledge

Baby boomers  are anxious and confused about how Social Security will best fit into their retirement income plans. Millions of words about Social Security have been published online and in print in recent years, all intended to educate us. Yet a knowledge gap remains. Read more

Social Security Spouse Benefits – Key Concepts

Do you understand how Social Security retirement benefits work for (and with) your spouse? If not, you are not alone. Here is a summary of some key concepts in claiming and receiving a benefit as a husband or wife of a Social Security retiree. Read more

How to Maximize Social Security Benefits

Here are some tips for maximizing Social Security retirement benefits. Most of these strategies will be applicable to baby boomers contemplating and planning for a sustainable retirement income. Read more

Determining the Best Age to Start Social Security

Many baby boomers are in the home stretch toward retirement and thinking about what will be the best age for them to claim Social Security retirement benefits.  I have already written about this issue from several different angles but I thought it would make sense to pull all of that together and summarize the factors that I will considering when the time comes. Read more

Delaying Social Security after Stopping Work

Some baby boomers are asking the question of what happens to their Social Security retirement benefits if they stop working but do not claim benefits until later.

The answer to that question depends on how many working years you have in the system. Read more

How to Apply for Social Security Benefits Online

At last the Social Security Administration is allowing us to apply for Social Security retirement benefits online. Until now, you had to visit a local Social Security office or attempt to apply by telephone.  Now, there is a link directly from the Social Security home page. This is a fantastic development for web-savvy baby boomers who are expected to be applying for Social Security retirement benefits at a rate of 10,000 per day for the next twenty years. Read more

Working after Receiving Social Security at Age 62

There are sound financial reasons for waiting to your full retirement age to claim Social Security retirement benefits.  Delaying Social Security until age 70 can enhance those benefits even more.  Nevertheless, many baby boomers will determine that they must or should begin receiving benefits at age 62. Unfortunately, many retirees also decide to stop working as soon as they begin receiving Social Security. This decision is often based on an incorrect understanding of how other income will affect your Social Security benefits overall. Read more

Reasons to Delay Taking Social Security until Age 70

As baby boomers approaching retirement in some form, we as a group of mostly still working adults are thinking more and more about Social Security retirement benefits and when we should claim them. I find myself studying and contemplating this issue more now than ever because of the hit Mrs. GoTo and I took in our retirement accounts.  I am definitely counting on Social Security being there when we retire. Read more

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