On December 31st, when most people were out reveling and bringing in the New Year, I received a surprise email. It was a surprise, because I’d never gotten one before. It was from the Social Security Administration reminding me to check my Social Security Statement online. It said the statement had important information and an […]
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Absolutely! Working helps keep you motivated, stimulated and involved. But, there are some things to consider. If you plan on working, you may want to think about waiting to apply for Social Security benefits until Full Retirement Age, because before that there is a limit to how much you can earn per year without penalty. […]
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Social Security Spousal Benefits You are entitled to spousal benefits if you have been married for at least one year or are divorced and had been married for at least ten years. In both situations you must be at least 62 years of age to apply. If you have reached full retirement age, you may […]
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For the past seven months, I have been researching and writing about the ‘Basics of Retirement.’ When I turned 58 years old and realized I didn’t know how it all worked, I decided to find out. The first thing I discovered is that I was not alone. In reading articles and blogs and listening to […]
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This is like asking “What is the best age to get married?” There is no right answer. It depends on the individual and the circumstances, but there is information that can help you make a good decision. The earliest age you can begin collecting Social Security is 62. You can apply for benefits between the […]
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How long will you be here? None of us want to talk about this, but we need to in order to make good choices. The Social Security Administration has a Life Expectancy Calculator that can give you a rough idea, but you will also need to consider your health history, family history, and your lifestyle. […]
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You need a total of 40 credits to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. For each $1,200 you make, you earn one credit. Each year, you can earn up to four credits. Once you have earned $4,800 you have earned your four credits for the year and do not accumulate any more. Your yearly earnings […]
Continue readingSince I started researching for my book, Retirement Basics, I find myself in many conversations on the topic. Earlier in the year I sat next to Fred from Indiana at dinner. He told me he was waiting patiently to reach age 65 so that he could apply for Social Security. I didn’t want to burst […]
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