Mar 04 Why are my health insurance premiums going up and up? By Philip Moeller A reader's insurance agent says that everyone's premiums are going up. But the reader wonders if he could be spending less. Making Sen$e Medicare Maven Phil Moeller tells him what to look for. Continue reading
Mar 02 Spousal benefits, you say? Does age difference matter? By Laurence Kotlikoff Many readers this week were curious about the file-and-suspend and spousal benefit strategies that Larry Kotlikoff details in his new book, "Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security."… Continue reading
Feb 26 Watch 7:00 Tricks and tips for getting the most from Social Security By PBS News Hour The longer you wait before cashing in on Social Security benefits, the greater the financial reward. But many don’t wait until age 70. There’s a range of loopholes and “secrets” that can improve your benefits, a fact economics correspondent Paul… Continue watching
Feb 23 10 Social Security rules that are insane By Laurence Kotlikoff Ever feel like you need a translator to understand what the Social Security Administration is trying to tell you? You're not alone. As part of his new book, co-authored with Making Sen$e's Paul Solman and Phil Moeller, Social Security expert… Continue reading
Feb 16 How to get what’s yours from Social Security By Laurence Kotlikoff, Philip Moeller, Paul Solman 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… Continue reading
Feb 14 Republicans: Obama giving ‘amnesty bonuses’ to immigrants By Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Millions of immigrants benefiting from President Barack Obama's executive actions could get a windfall from the IRS, a reversal of fortune after years of paying taxes to help fund government programs they were banned from receiving. 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