Money

I'm turning 66 in September 2025, and will be 10 months away from my full retirement age. I started taking my retirement benefits in March, but have an opportunity to take a f/t job starting in January - 7 months before my full retirement age. I know the penalty would be $1 off my SS check for every $2 I earn, but my questions are:- does SS look at that new money earned as the amount earned after taxes or is my gross pay counted against my SS payment?- would the employer still be required to take SS payments out of my pay check even though I am retired?- once I hit that full retirement age, and the penalty of my f/t earnings on SS ends, do I get those removed funds from my SS payment over those 7 months back?  Thank you.

I keep seeing news headlines that say things like "Social Security’s New Retirement Age Shocks Future Retirees: Ends Traditional Age in 2026", "US Social Security Retirement Age Raised to 67 Starting 2026—What Does This Mean for You?" or "Social Security’s Full Retirement Age Just Went Up – Here’s How Much It Could Cost Seniors Starting 2025". These seem to make it sound like the current adminstration is changing things, which is 100% WRONG.The "Full retirement age", when you collect your full retirement amount, was 65 for many years. But, in 1983, Congress passed a law to gradually raise the age because people were living longer and were generally healthier at an older age. The law raised the full retirement age beginning with people born in 1938 or later. It was to gradually increase by a few months for every birth year, until it reached 67 for people born in 1960 and later, with an 11 yr hold when it reached 66.So the increase to 67 is NOT a new thing, it was decided on in 1983. Whe

I am considering retiring at somewhere between 59.5 and 62.  I am considering the possibility of part time work.  My full retirement age (FRA) is apparently at 67 and my maximum benefit would be at age 70.  I have not seen any  information saying this is not possible, but I feel like I am missing something. Is there any restriction or disadvantage to this approach? 

FROM THE ARTICLE. Is Now a Bad Time to Downsize?Consider these pros and cons before moving to a smaller home in today’s market. By Cameron Huddleston, AARP. Published July 23, 2025. Downsizing to a smaller home, condominium or apartment shortly before or in retirement can reduce your housing costs, free up cash and lessen the burden of home maintenance. But many older adults aren’t eager to move.A May survey by real estate company Redfin found that 1 in 3 boomers who own their homes say they’ll never sell. Another 30 percent said they don’t plan to sell within the next decade. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE. https://www.aarp.org/money/personal-finance/downsize-home-in-retirement.html

We have been having problems with medical billing.  It must be some sort of 'corporation' that medical facilities or doctors can join to handle their payments.  The address is PO Box 14000, Belfast ME.  Primary Providers of Central Kentucky do their billing there, as well as a local Physicial Specialist.  We paid a bill in April through Truist Bank.  They wrote a check and it was mailed April 12th 2022.  The check was never processed and we started getting calls about the bill.  After calling the bank they said stop payment and pay with debit card.  Payment was processed again on May 3, 2022.  Have called two different 844 numbers and mailed proof of payment to two different e-mails.  In the meantime got another call about the bill, returned the call and they said it is cleared.  This involves sending bank statements.  Which I tried to black out the account number before I sent it.  But since then I have had to see a spec

FROM THE ARTICLE. Conceived when the labor force was overwhelmingly male, the program has evolved over 90 years to serve working women, wives and widows. By Martha C. White, AARP. Published July 21, 2025. Nine decades after being signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Social Security has cemented its role as a pillar of retirement security, evolving from a Depression-era program focused on individual — and overwhelmingly male — workers to one designed to provide a financial backstop for families.This evolution reflects a shift in culture as much as bureaucracy. As the nation’s population and workforce became larger and more diverse, Social Security benefits became broader and more inclusive. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE. https://www.aarp.org/social-security/women-and-ssa-benefits/

Something we all need to read and understand: "To amend title XVIII to reform the Medicare Advantage program." 

NO matter what age we are, handling our finances can be a challenge at times!!! [1] Do you have a budget? If yes, lol - do you stick to it? [2] What has/is helping you to keep your head above water each year? Hope to hear from you!!! Thanks,Nicole  🤑  (Budget & Savings Forum)

With all the recent changes to government programs like social security, I thought maybe it was time to start my social security form since I am eligible for max in 5 months.  I attempted to do what I could online only to hit a block when the site decided I was invalid.  So I made an appointment to speak to a human in person today and was told it was not working because I was applying too early.  It is a four month window so I was told to apply in August for a December start (first payment January).  Furthermore I was told that even if you apply 4 months ahead your application will sit until it is closer to that magic month.  And yet nowhere on this SS site did it suggest that the reason I could not get started was because I was applying too early.  Any ideas on this?

FROM THE ARTICLE: How Social Security and Medicare Transformed Aging in America.Two lifelines for older adults reach important milestones in 2025. By T.R. Reid, AARP. Published April 30, 2025. After a long career as an office manager in St. Louis, Debbie Haupt retired at age 60 so she could provide full-time care for her ailing husband. “I had been planning to work at least until 68, maybe 70,” she says, “but Parkinson’s had other ideas.”There was a problem, though: The Haupts hadn’t built up much of a retirement fund. “My 401(k) was tiny,” she laughs. “If I had eaten nothing but dog food, it would have lasted less than three years." USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/social-security/social-security-medicare-changed-aging/

My wife and I both work, I get medical coverage through my wife since she works for the government. This year in May I turn 65 but will still be working (as well as my wife). I am told that I can get Medicare Part A for free. Is that the case and are there benefits and or downsides to getting Medicare Part A with all this in mind? RT

FROM THE ARTICLE. AARP’s ‘Fraud Wars’ Episode 1: Judith Boivin Had $600,000 Stolen in an FBI Impostor Scam.She learned the hard way that no one is immune to today’s fraud criminals. By Ken Budd, AARP. Published July 11, 2025. By the time the scammers posing as law enforcement called Judith Boivin’s cellphone, they had researched their target well. They knew she’d worked as a registered nurse and a clinical social worker before becoming a licensed therapist. They knew she had worked in Belize to help children with HIV and had lived for three years in Mexico while she helped a priest establish a mission.“I’ve been a caregiver all my life in various forms and shapes,” says Boivin, 81, who lives in Rockville, Maryland. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE. https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/fraud-wars-fbi-impostor.html

FROM THE ARTICLE. 6 Hidden Costs of Moving in Retirement.Switching states for cheaper housing or lower taxes? Watch out for expenses that can eat into those savings. By Sharon Wu, AARP. Published July 09, 2025. You've spent years mapping out your ideal retirement relocation, envisioning life in a warmer climate, a coastal town or closer to family. Housing costs in your target destination look manageable, the lifestyle seems right and your move feels financially sound.But hidden expenses can turn a dream move into a nightmare. “People forget that costs like insurance, utilities and taxes vary widely and may offset savings” from cheaper housing or consumer goods, says Tyler Abney, a managing partner at Tidemark Financial Partners in San Diego. Those ongoing costs can strain your savings. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE. https://www.aarp.org/money/retirement/hidden-costs-of-moving/

What rights does the members of a Home Owners Association have when the board members and management company violate HOA by-laws and state codes?

My sister passed away suddenly last August and her July benefit was deposited in her bank account a few days after she died. I knew Social Security would reverse the payment, which they did.  As soon as I had court documents naming me administrator of her estate I filed Form 1724 and sent Social Security the Form and all related legal documents (death certificate, court ordered letter of administration, proof of deposit and deposit reversal, etc.).  Social Security received the Form 1724 and legal documentation the first week of January 2025. Today is June 3, 2025 and the estate still hasn't received payment. I've called both the national Social Security customer service line and our local Social Security office and I'm told they have everything they need but the claim is still being "processed."  One rep blamed DOGE and said any claims related to a decedent are being scrutinized and delayed. I can't close the estate until I get this payment and don't know what more

 I have had two separate individuals use my home address fraudently as their own.  I believe they are doing this to claim residency.  I have received bank statements and insurance statements for them.  Neither has ever lived here (past or present). These are their names. Jose Rodriguez Jacques Skriletz I have reported this fraud to the United States Postal Service, FBI, and ReportFraud.Gov. if you experience something similar, you should do the same.  Having mail with an address if the first step in establishing residency.  Consequences of this to the rightful owner can be severe.  Please be aware!

I will be eligible to collect in March of next year. If I apply for benefits in December, when will I be able to get a benefit verification letter? Would it likely not be available until the end of March (just before the initial disbursement) or would it show up online earlier than that?

We just started Medicare and received an IRMAA penalty for 2023 when my wife was still working full time. She is now retired. Somewhere I was told that I can file form SSA-44 and get the penalty reduced since we no longer have that income. Is that correct?  

Come 2033, we may all have a chance to find out - That’s what the 2025 Social Security Trustee Report is telling us - and it has been telling us this for the last 15+ years even though the date wobbles a few years from 2032 - 2035 between the annual reports.SSA.gov - 2025 Social Security Trustee Report Summary  from the link ~ Based on our best estimates, this year's reports show that:• The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2033, unchanged from last year’s report. At that time, the fund’s reserves will become depleted and continuing program income will be sufficient to pay 77 percent of total scheduled benefits And the Conclusion is always the same (again from the link )Lawmakers have many options for changes that would reduce or eliminate the long-term financing shortfalls. Taking action sooner rather than later will allow consideration of a broader range of solutions and provide more time

I've been hearing about a social security monthly limit for a couple and wondered if there were any truth to this.  My husband and I will both will be waiting until FRA to collect at 67 in 2028.  My SS will start in Jan and will be $2400 and his will start in Oct at $3695.  Together we feel pretty comfortable with this amount but is there a limit on how much a "family" can receive?  I have checked the SS site and find no answers to this.  Thank you in advance! 

If I change my bank account for direct deposit, when will it happen? 

SSA.gov - A Summary of the 2025 Social Security Trustee Report  You can read the linked report, it isn’t long - this is the summary only. Just some highlights:Based on our best estimates, this year's reports show that: • The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2033, unchanged from last year’s report. At that time, the fund’s reserves will become depleted and continuing program income will be sufficient to pay 77 percent of total scheduled benefits. • The Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund is projected to be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits through at least 2099, the last year of this report’s projection period. Last year’s report projected that the DI Trust Fund would be able to pay scheduled benefits through at least 2098, the last year of that report’s projection period. • If the OASI Trust Fund and the DI Trust Fund projections were combined, the resulti

https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action provides two options for creating an account: Login.gov and ID.me. Are there any pros or cons for each one? For example, has the government said anything about phasing out one? I don't want to run the gauntlet of creating an account and then have the SSA or other federal agencies discontinue using it. Thanks!

I read in your monthly magazines regarding this Telikin Computer made specially for seniors and easy to use even if had no tech experience.  I called and he gentlemen told me it was better than any computer on the market that would cost you over $2,000.  He painted a picture of how easy it was to use and you had all the help you needed so you were able to do everything on this computer.  I bought this computer which coat me over $1000+ in Nov. 2021.  What happened when the computer got her I had to leave for Iowa to my daughter's and I did not get to set up this computer until May 2022.  This computer is the worse thing I have ever gotten.  There is no easy way of using it unless you are an expert tech.  To this date I have not been able to use the video chat because the salesman forgot to tell me the people have to have the Telikin Web site and it does not work on phones, people have to have a computer in order for this to work.  Mostly none of

The government promise of an additional $4K of deduction for seniors at tax time does not go far enough to deal with SS and taxes.  In 1983 when they started taxing SS income, only 10% of people receiving SS paid taxes, today is it over 50%.  This is because the income level for taxing of 25K-35K has not changed since 1983. (25K in 1983 is about 80K in 2025 according to a website calculator).  So they regularly increase the amount for people paying the SS tax but they never adjust this income level for paying taxes. So either the government is very poor at math, or they are ripping off the seniors. They need to adjust this 25K-35K threshold and then push up the taxable income limit.  Someone in Congress suggested using a donut hole approach and leaving the current approx 176K max in place and then starting the tax up again for incomes over 400K.  This would save SS.  I would hope that AARP would stand up to Congress and tell them that seniors deserve