Money

 I was just informed my job will be ending on May 29th. I am 64 years old and am wondering if it's better to take my 12 weeks' severance and use it to try to find another full-time job, or if I'm better off taking my SSI now (knowing I'll only earn roughly $1,350 a month) and then looking for a part time job to supplement. The SSI I'd make would be roughly what one of my two monthly paychecks is, after taxes. I don't own a car but do have a bus pass I automatically put $100 on when the limit goes down to $5, right now my employer pays for my pass so that will be another expense.  I know finding a job at my age is extremely difficult, and since my skill set is administrative assistant / receptionist / secretary, I also know AI will probably be taking over those jobs sooner rather than later.  The good news is that my condo is completely paid off, but I have a HELOC I've taken out for $65,000 that will need to be paid in full in 15 years. My husband's finances ar

Pay more toward the principal on your mortgage to pay it off faster. This will save on the interest paid over the life of the loan.

Hello,I am wondering if anyone knows how to figure the historical price of a stock. I looked up one of my shares of stock on a historical price lookup tool online and the price did not match the amount that was listed on my receipt for when the original stock share was bought. I am thinking it has something to do with the Split Adjustment Factor column listed on the historical price table and that I have to do some figuring to get the true original price. Does anyone know about this? I have to look up prices for other shares for which I do not have receipts so want to get the cost basis correct.thank you.

Six weeks ago I enrolled for my social security. Its been over six weeks and all I have received is an email on the day after I enrolled saying someone looked at my submittal.  I cannot find anyway to check on the status. Any thoughts?S. S. 

Has anyone been contacted by someone they claim is Jonathan Roumie? A relative of mine is convinced that she is talking to via social media to Jonathan Roumie.  She claims he sent her a pic of his driver's license and passport and that she has all his bank info.  She says he has her helping her buy camera equipment from bank account he gave her info on from a company in China and that he can't do it because he is in Tanzania filming The Chosen.  I know it's crazy but she is 72 and believes it fully.  I feel she is being groomed.  She gets angry with me when I try to talk to her about how unlikely this is.  

Hi- I decided to self-direct our retirement portfolio and would like a second opinion on my AA. I had my head buried in the sand until recently when I decided to take a proactive approach to our retirement portfolio, now that we are 5 yrs from retirement. 57 yo, plan to retire in 5 yearsSet my target allocation to 70/30. Staying somewhat aggressive b/c anticipate having enough in savings for first 2 years of retirement.Using 3-fund strategy 1) US Stocks 2) Int'l Stock 3)BondAA: 1) 56% 2) 14% 3) 40%Entire portfolio approach: 3 different accounts, 1)my work 2) spouse work 3) Individual Roths. Instead of treating each account as a stand-alone, taking holistic view for 3 accts as 1 portfolio.This is our current portfolio, would appreciate any feedback/critique:

I'm a retired blue collar worker whoseFederal income tax bill increased by 0.618%!Income tax 2024 = 8.547%Income tax 2025 = 9.165%

My friends received ssi disability and his parent is the payee representative for 4-5 years.- Since being the payee representative they never lived together (parent lives hours away) (red state)- parent doesn’t provide any food/shelter- parent has been giving only partial payment (payment method is the same always thru money services)- parent tells him ssa has a rules so he need to keep the rest (I heard that conversation on the phone when- parent never provided ssa benefit statement when asked- friend is sort of homeless for long time as he stays with different friends.- the address on ssa file is family address that is just used for getting mail (maybe the dad tell them she stays there but it’s not the truth)My friend has hard time grasping money and basic mathematics so easy to trick him I guess.I have been telling my friend for long time to make the call to ssa to report the misuse of the funds. Not sure if anything will happen.Recently I logged into the ssa account and saw large p

On a daily basis I receive multiple cell phone calls from those who 1) tell me I'm approved for a debt consolidation loan (or some other reason) or 2) they're from the IRS and I must address the problem immediately.  They are obviously financial scamsters, but most use what appear to be toll-free numbers.  The telecoms make millions of dollars off these scamsters and folks like you and me suffer the consequences.  It's highly unlikely that the telecoms don't know that lines they sell are being used for fraud and theft.  Lets motivate our legislators to make the Telecoms financially liable for not performing due diligence before they sell the lines.  One thing for sure, the FCC or other government agencies are completely impotent, incompetent or just plain unwilling to effectively address this concern.

 

Hello.My retired cousin is a Massachusetts resident and has gotten into financial trouble. Apparently there are credit card bills, utilities, taxes and insurance that are impossible to all pay.  There is apparently a reverse mortgage that is also a problem.  They are not techno savvy.I have offered to help them find a way out.  Is there a counselor or organization that helps people get on a solid path?  Hopefully there is a person or place they can visit in person.  Specific advice rather than generalities.  I can help with the fees that may be charged.  Thanks in advance.

My 62 year old wife is being treated for  stage three breast cancer, and she is currently receiving care via Medicaid.  She does not have any income of her own, she is not now receiving any Social Security benefits, and as of the moment, our only source of money are my Social Security Disability Benefits, which are around $2,000 a month.  Also, I'm 64 years old. We are wondering if my wife can apply for Social Security early due to her cancer diagnosis, and due to the fact that she is unable to work.  Also, if she begins receiving Social Security in the near future, how would that effect her Medicaid benefits, and is there a chance that her medical benefits could be interrupted or stopped during her cancer treatment.  We are in a very very tight place financially, but I'm afraid to make any moves which might jeopardize her medical care.  Also, I have tried reaching out to several non profits who provide cancer support, but so far the only thing I

AARP should STOP endorsing CC. CC is targeting AARP members promising great discounts that are never given. The switch took several weeks and dozens of phone calls. They signed me up for the wrong plan, and I did NOT receive the discounts they promised. CC refused to credit me for the discounts that they promised saying they weren't aware of any promotions even though they are still running the same commercial. They lie ,cheat ,and steal from you through Fraud. Avoid CC at all costs or it will cost you way more than you currently pay and the "service" will be non existent.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how the recent legislation could affect retirement income, especially when it comes to taxes, Medicare premiums, and withdrawals.A few things I keep coming back to:How long current tax rates might stick aroundHow income ties into Medicare costs (IRMAA)When it actually makes sense to take withdrawals vs waitIt feels like one of those areas where small decisions now could have a bigger impact later.I came across a free info session led by a former White House policy expert that breaks this down in a really straightforward way. One Big Beautiful Bill Webinar Retirement Income Webinar Curious if anyone here has adjusted their approach recently or is thinking about this differently.

I started Medicare at age 65. I waited to take Social Security until my Full Retirement age. I am required to paid quarterly payments for the Medicare Premium, (this before reaching Full Retirement age). My Notice of Award for my Social Security Benefit shows that Medicare Premiums will be automatically deducted from each month's benefit payment. The problem is I will be paying the Medicare Premium twice for the month of May. After that, no problem and I want the automatic deduction. My Social Security Benefit starts in May. The Notice of Award clearly itemizes the deduction of the Medicare Premium for this first benefit payment. However, my last quarterly payment for the Medicare Premium includes the premium for May. Thus, I'm paying twice. How do I fix this? Calling my local Social Security office is met with the sound of crickets chirping. Is there a way to fix this from within my online social security account? Or, will this get corrected automatically? If it is expected

From what I’ve read it’s my understanding if I claim a SS Survivors benefit the amount is based on a percentage of my spouse’s SS benefit at age 67 (FRA).  If I claim the benefit at age 60 it would be approximately 70% of my spouse’s FRA benefit. If I wait until I’m 61 the percentage would increase. This will continue until I reach my FRA.  My question is as I wait to claim a SS survivors benefit will my spouse’s FRA benefit increase every year based on SS COLA? 

My wife is a retired teacher since 2014. The school system does not pay into Social Security. She retired 10 years ago and has been paying her Medicare premium through bank withdrawals. Now, 10 years later, the Social Security sent us a letter stating that we owe them about $20k. They did not provide an itemized statement showing how they calculated the $20k. I called Social Security and they said to call Medicare to provide an itemized statement and when I call Medicare they state that Social Security is government agency that handles the Medicare payments by deducting from her social security payments. No one has the information I request. The situation is that since she does not get Social Security, she was paying with bank withdrawals. Bottom line, we cant find anyone that can show us how they calculated that we owe them money. After calling several times all l get is finger pointing between agencies but no resolution. I even filed an appeal about 6 weeks ago and did not receive an

Went to the Costco today. They had dishwasher tabs on sale. I anticipated the normal sale for these tabs which for years has been 100 or 110 tabs, normally about $16.00, on sale for about $13.00. Guess what greeted me...... The regular price had been jacked up to $21.00 and the sale price was now the old regular price of about $16.00. Not only that, but the box now held only 90 tabs, not the 100 or 110 tabs it used to contain. NOT ONLY WAS THERE RIDICULOUS INFLATED PRICE INCREASES BUT THERE WAS ALSO SHRINKAGE!!!!!

 There was a Senate hearing yesterday on Senate Budget Committee Examines Social Security SolvencyYou can watch / read /listen to it all on CPAN 2 at this link - https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-budget-committee-examines-social-security-solvency/676234  They seemed to have touched on it all.   Enjoy !

  In the state of Georgia, I just learned about away to help protect against property-fraud. I don't know if other state offers this protection.  Here is a quick overview on it;FANS in Georgia refers to the Filing Activity Notification System, a statewide property‑fraud alert service run by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA). It’s one of the most important tools Georgia homeowners can use to protect themselves.What it will do FANS sends you email or text alerts whenever a document is filed in Georgia that matches criteria you set — usually your name, property address, or parcel number. This includes filings such as:DeedsLiensQuitclaim deedsOther real estate or personal‑property recordsIt’s designed to help you catch fraudulent filings quickly — something that has become a growing issue in Georgia. This is free for all Georgia residents, and it is statewide  You register here: https://fans.gsccca.org and you can find out more

Harman Law firm Timothy Jackson scamHere is the email I for from a pretend paralegal.I'm Susan, an assistant to Timothy Jackson, an attorney at Harman Law Firm. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.My role is to assist Timothy in processing lists of potential victims, verifying actual victims, and providing legal assistance. Please be assured that we always adhere to legal and professional standards, and all information will be kept strictly confidential. We hope you understand that our communication style is based on efficiency and responsibility, not on irregularities.To ensure your full trust in us, the following points are for your reference:Law Firm QualificationsHarman Law Firm has been established for many years, specializing in financial fraud and fund recovery. You can access our practice information and past case studies on our official website. Attorney Timothy Jackson is licensed in the United States (license number: 229876), which can be verified by visit

Does anyone know who is the face of AARP? AARP is designed to be an interest group for americans  age of fifty and older. I have been a mber for around ten years yet I have no idea how to contact AARP executives or know what their priorities are? Social Security is a top priority for most of us but I have never seen an AARP representative on the news communicating our goal and interest. Why?  If anyone knows how we can find out what the AARP leaders priorities are for 2025 or how to reach out to them I would appreciate it. Below is some information I found online but know way to message them. AARP CEO: Dr. Myechia Minter-JordanSubsidiaries     AARP FoundationAARP Services IncLegal Counsel for the ElderlyOATS/Senior PlanetWish of a LifetimeAARP Board of Directorshttps://www.aarp.org › about-aarp › board-of-directorsLloyd E. Johnson - Board ChairMargot James CopelandRobert BlancatoJoseph F. CoughlinJeffrey D. DunnBeth EllardRosanna A

Once again this week, I am seeing individual beneficiaries living in a marriage, each with their own benefits, being devastated financially when one of them dies. I do not know where they get the idea that the living spouse will get both benefits - THEY DO NOT - the living spouse will receive a Survivors benefit that equals the higher of the two benefits.  That still means that the sum of the Survivor receives is less than the (2) individual benefits which they got before the death of their spouse. This could mean the loss of several hundreds of dollars a month.  If the couple is living on a very tight budget, this loss of income could result in unintended consequences - So, please do a bit of planning if you think this situation might affect you.  

i saw on facebook this lady name Sharon O Bradley helps people to trade in the forex market for a fee. i dm her through messenger. i signed up with her services and was told that i would be able to withdraw my money in 7 days. i was told to sin up on her  trading site. where i could actually see my money trading and making money. in a few days i wanted to withdraw my profits only to be told that i have to pay 10% first of the profits to make a withdrawal. i had no control of the account because they opened the account. after much research. i discovered that this account was not opened with this lady and someone might have cloned her account on facebook and using her name to scam people. i need help to find these people so i can recover my money. Who do i report this to.  also, anyone know this lady please let me know how to contact her to warn her of what is happening to her business reputation.