INmail: Birthdate foils ex-spouse’s Social Security claiming strategy
Only people born on or before Jan. 1, 1954, have the right to file a restricted claim for spousal benefits.
How secure is Social Security?
Advisers will need to act to help clients navigate what is potentially a looming financial crisis
Addressing women’s longevity gap
Advisers can help couples prepare today for survivorship and health care costs
Social Security announces 1.3% COLA for 2021
Benefits and taxable wages will increase by one of the smallest amounts ever next year
INmail: Divorce and Social Security offset rules
if you receive a pension from a government job, including public school teachers in about a dozen states, your Social Security benefits may be reduced.
Medicare 2021 open enrollment begins Oct. 15
Retirees may be able to save money by reviewing new options for Medicare Advantage and drug plans for next year
INmail: Increase in grandson’s dependent benefit should be automatic
The grandson is entitled to dependent benefits until he turns 18 or 19 if he is still in high school.
INmail: Step-up to larger spousal benefit is automatic
Although retirement benefits earn delayed credits for every year a worker postpones claiming them up until age 70, spousal benefits do not.
Early estimate puts 2021 Social Security COLA at 1.3 percent
That adjustment for next year would be small, but higher than previously expected
INmail: Claiming early nixes switching to spousal benefits
Unfortunately, clients can’t switch to a spousal benefit and allow their own retirement benefit to continue to grow until 70 for a few reasons.
Home office deduction limited to self-employed
Working from home during COVID-19 might not qualify for a tax break
FPA launches philanthropic solutions certificate program
The six-part online series is co-sponsored by the American Heart Association and qualifies for six continuing education credits
Impact of raising the Social Security taxable wage base
Taxing more earnings would improve the finances of the Social Security trust fund; it might also boost benefits
Reframing Social Security claiming decisions
Focusing on benefit size rather than claiming age can improve outcomes
INmail: Navigating Social Security benefits and public employee offsets
Public employees in about a dozen states, as well as federal employees under the old Civil Service Retirement System, do not participate in Social Security and are not subject to payroll taxes.
Investing after the ‘great reset’
Kara Murphy of Goldman suggests reviewing risk tolerance and focusing on traditional asset classes
INmail: Bad information on survivor benefits
If a client has remarried after a divorce, they may still be eligible for divorced widow benefits when the first spouse dies.
Why the payroll tax holiday is a bad idea
Squeezing Social Security’s funding source could accelerate the depletion of the trust fund
INmail: Signing up for Medicare nixes HSA contributions
If clients turn 65, and are still working and covered by an employer’s group health insurance plan, should they sign up for Medicare Part A?
Turning chaos into prospects
More than 300 attendees tune into InvestmentNews' virtual Women Adviser Summit
