Feb 11 Lessons from Downton Abbey about women and money By Simone Pathe Not only are American women less financially savvy than American men, they also report lower confidence in their financial literacy. The same is true across market-driven economies in Europe. But that's not an altogether bad thing. Look no farther than… Continue reading
Feb 09 4 reasons not to trust Social Security's benefit estimates By Laurence Kotlikoff 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… Continue reading
Feb 02 How to collect your ex's Social Security, even if you're not speaking By Laurence Kotlikoff Ex-spouses can’t control what Social Security benefits their exes collect on their work records. What they want or don't want you to receive makes no difference. But there are still requirements to collecting off of an ex-spouse. Social Security expert… Continue reading
Jan 28 Can expats take their Medicare abroad? By Philip Moeller Medicare recipients can keep Part A and Part B while living outside the United States, as long as they continue to pay their monthly Part B premiums. Maintaining Medicare drug coverage abroad, however, is a lot trickier. Making Sen$e Medicare… Continue reading
Jan 26 How can Uncle Sam keep our unused Social Security benefits? By Laurence Kotlikoff Once a person dies, the Social Security benefits to which he or she was entitled when alive do not automatically go to their survivors. Some readers think that's unfair. But as Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff explains, Social Security works… Continue reading
Jan 23 Social Security's Christmas present: Benefit cuts for millions of disabled workers By Laurence Kotlikoff Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff highlights a recent change in Social Security's operating manual that, while seemingly obscure, hurts millions of Americans who receive disability benefits. In effect, Kotlikoff argues, Social Security is now treating people with disabilities as second… Continue reading
Jan 21 Thanks, but no thanks, Medicare, for the love By Philip Moeller Why does it seem like health insurance providers are attuned to your physical and emotional health -- tracking your medications, urging you to get certain tests, even sending you holiday cards -- until something goes wrong and you really need… Continue reading
Jan 14 What older workers need to know about the hybrid health care world By Philip Moeller Making Sen$e Medicare Maven Phil Moeller helps readers navigate the different health care combinations now available to so many workers staying on the job past age 65. Continue reading
Jan 12 How many husbands' Social Security benefits can you collect? By Laurence Kotlikoff If you're one of the millions of Americans who have been married multiple times, you may be eligible to collect benefits from ex-spouses, deceased spouses and current spouses, but never at the same time, explains Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff. Continue reading
Jan 07 Getting your hands around slithery COBRA coverage By Philip Moeller Workers who lose their jobs may have the option of continuing their employer group health insurance for a limited time under what's known as COBRA. But how does that coverage interact with Medicare and the Affordable Care Act? Making Sen$e… Continue reading