Economy Apr 13 If you can solve this puzzle, you can maximize your Social Security We Americans love puzzles. We love jigsaw puzzles. We love crossword puzzles. And we love Social Security. In fact, Social Security is the ultimate brain teaser. Here's an example.
Economy Apr 06 Why you should shop Social Security offices for the best deal How could different Social Security offices be dishing out different benefits? The rules are the rules, but staff within the offices have different interpretations, only one of which is right.
Nation Mar 30 Why shouldn’t I take Social Security early so I can enjoy my retirement? One reader writes that he and his wife can start collecting Social Security earlier than age 70, as Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff discourages, with a very small downside for the long term. But today, Larry urges him to reconsider…
Nation Mar 23 Why maximizing your Social Security won’t bankrupt the system Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff has repeatedly warned that the Social Security system is underfunded. Why then does his new best-selling book tell readers how to collect as much as possible in benefits? Perhaps surprisingly, he explains, most of the…
Nation Mar 16 Am I receiving extra Social Security credit for my military service? Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff clarifies which veterans are eligible for "special extra earnings" from Social Security for their military service and explains how to check if they're receiving those extra credits on their records.
Nation Mar 09 Your relationship means nothing to Social Security unless you’re married Marriage is the only way to validate a relationship before the Social Security Administration. Even if a couple has raised children together and one partner dies, Social Security does not consider the other partner eligible for the late partner's widow(er)'s…
Nation Mar 02 Spousal benefits, you say? Does age difference matter? Many readers this week were curious about the file-and-suspend and spousal benefit strategies that Larry Kotlikoff details in his new book, "Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security."…
Nation Feb 23 10 Social Security rules that are insane Ever feel like you need a translator to understand what the Social Security Administration is trying to tell you? You're not alone. As part of his new book, co-authored with Making Sen$e's Paul Solman and Phil Moeller, Social Security expert…
Making Sen$e Feb 16 How to get what’s yours from Social Security One day while playing tennis, Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff informed Paul Solman about a strategy for maximizing the benefits that he and his wife were eligible to collect. They decided everyone else should know that secret, too, and are…
Nation Feb 09 4 reasons not to trust Social Security’s benefit estimates Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff recommends you retrieve your annual statement each year to check that Social Security has correctly credited your covered earnings. But don’t trust the statement’s projections of your retirement benefits or the benefits available to family…