Dec 23 Will Social Security count my big earnings if I lose my job before 66? By Laurence Kotlikoff If you lose your high-paying job before full retirement age, you don't lose Social Security benefits you've already paid for, says expert Larry Kotlikoff. What you might miss out on, though, is an opportunity to raise your lifetime benefits even… Continue reading
Dec 15 Why does it feel like Social Security's ripping me off? By Laurence Kotlikoff You may be entitled to Social Security benefits on more than one account and believe that you deserve all of those benefits after you and your (ex)-spouses contributed to the Social Security system. But the reality, Larry Kotlikoff explains, is… Continue reading
Dec 11 How Social Security still discriminates against same-sex couples By Laurence Kotlikoff Even if a same-sex couple is married in a state where same-sex marriage is legal, if they live in a state where it's not, and one spouse tries to collect spousal or survivor benefits, he or she will not be… Continue reading
Dec 10 The Social Security and Medicare gotcha that makes contributing to your HSA illegal By Philip Moeller Philip Moeller considers a question from a reader who's old enough to collect maximum benefits from Social Security. When he files, though, he'll also get Medicare. And because he's still working, that'll spell trouble for his Health Savings Account. Continue reading
Dec 05 Congress wants to block Nazis from getting Social Security By Donna Cassata, Associated Press By voice vote late Thursday, the Senate gave final congressional approval to a measure that would shut a loophole that allowed suspected Nazis to be paid millions of dollars in benefits, clearing it for the White House. Under the bill,… Continue reading
Dec 01 Collect your Social Security as if you may live to 100 By Laurence Kotlikoff If you live to 100, which is increasingly likely for middle class Americans in decent health, says Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff, you’ll be extremely happy you waited until age 70 to collect your retirement benefit. Continue reading
Nov 24 Retiring? Here's how to get an extra month of Social Security benefits for free By Laurence Kotlikoff If you are going to file for your Social Security retirement benefit early, and you play your cards right, Larry Kotlikoff has a new trick for you to maximize your benefits. Continue reading
Nov 17 When Social Security will let you take only one benefit at a time By Laurence Kotlikoff Once you have filed for two benefits, you get just the larger of the two. So to maximize your Social Security, the trick is to take one benefit -- a widows benefit, for example, or your own retirement benefit --… Continue reading
Nov 10 How Social Security denied one woman the advice she deserved By Laurence Kotlikoff Larry Kotlikoff and former Social Security technical expert Jerry Lutz intervene on behalf of a disabled divorcée who was getting all the wrong answers from the Social Security offices in her area. Continue reading
Nov 03 4 Social Security tips for boomers who never married By Laurence Kotlikoff Much of Larry Kotlikoff's Social Security advice pertains to married couples or partners who are divorced, separated or widowed. But today, he speaks to those boomers who have never married, and tells them what they need to know should they… Continue reading