Few changes have been made to Social Security in 2026. Despite dire clickbait headlines warning that the Social Security Trust Fund is in imminent danger of collapse, Social Security payments are projected to be fully funded through the last quarter of 2032. Until this year, the Trust Fund was not expected to be depleted until […]
Most individuals qualify for Social Security if they are U.S. citizens or green card holders and have earned 40 “work credits” during their working life. The amount of earnings needed to earn a credit varies each year. In 2024, workers receive one credit for each $1,730 they earn. However, workers earn a maximum of four […]
Social Security, pension benefits, and savings can combine to help seniors maintain comfortable lifestyles after retirement. Careful preparation and advice from a financial adviser can produce a plan that addresses post-retirement needs and goals. Still, to twist a popular war adage, it might be said that no retirement plan survives contact with the future. Unexpected […]
Updated December 2025 You have heard the old adage “Rags to Riches to Rags”, or “Shirtsleeves to Shirtsleeves in three generations”. It is not just a dynamic of western culture; it is actually an old Chinese proverb “Rice paddies to Rice paddies in three generations.” Breaking down the saying (1) The first generation strives to […]
If you wonder what size retirement nest egg you will need in retirement, you are asking the wrong question. Instead you need to ask how much you spend. Once you know, and admit, how much you spend and understand your spending patterns, then you can worry about what size nest egg you will need to […]
Updated September 2025 The answer should be easy. Obviously you are the person who should be paying attention to your portfolio, understand how your money is invested, and monitor its gains and losses. But in these times of low interest rates, mixed markets, and changing tax laws, many people, retiree and pre-retirees alike, seek guidance. […]
In a September 2023 report, of workers across the United States, the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies found that 45 percent of people of all ages cite running out of money as their greatest retirement fear. This finding is a huge wake-up call because this fear isn’t just a possibility — it’s an all-too-real scenario […]