Social Security Basics

"The rules relating to social security are long, complex, and dry. This book distills the most relevant parts into a guide that is easy to follow." Brandon Renfro, Ph.D. NOW UPDATED FOR 2021!! Devin Carroll brings you a condensed, straightforward guide that gives you the nine essentials that everyone should know to navigate the maze of Social Security with confidence (without getting lost in the tangled web of Social Security rules). If you want to make sure you don't leave your Social Security benefits to chance, reading this book is a great first step in achieving that goal. The Cure for Complexity When Carroll first started studying Social Security, the massive website and rule book left him feeling like he was trying to drink from a fire hose. It was just too much information to make sense of all at once, and left him feeling overwhelmed. Sound familiar? Carroll's later experiences with clients who were distressed, confused, and burned by the Social Security system convinced him that something must be done to help people take the overly complex, verbose, and altogether unruly Social Security rules and distill them down into something simple, actionable, and understandable. After spending the last several years studying, speaking, and writing on Social Security, Carroll discovered that most questions on the topic could be answered through a solid understanding of the basics. That's what Carroll promises to teach you in this book: the essential knowledge you need to. In each chapter, Carroll details the specifics behind the rules, calculations, exceptions, and necessary information so you can correctly identify your own benefit, understand when you're entitled to more, make the best decision on when to file, and more. What others are saying... "Devin Carroll is the perfect person to untangle Social Security's mumbo-jumbo. He makes the rules simple to understand, taking concepts most people mess up and laying them out in an easy to understand format. Bravo!" Joe Saul-Sehy, Stacking Benjamins Podcast Creator and Host "Devin's book, Social Security Basics, is an indispensable resource in helping you make smart, informed decisions about your Social Security benefits so you'll have a more confident and comfortable retirement ahead of you." Russ Thornton, WealthcareForWomen.com "Making decisions about Social Security benefits can be intimidating but it doesn't have to be. This is a fantastic book to explain what you really need to know." David Waldrop, CFP - The Astute Advisor Blog and Bridgeview Capital Advisors

A step-by-step guide to getting Social Security benefits for you and your family. Peterson gives you the practical information you need to make the most of the program, and make smart decisions about retirement.

The debate over the future of Social Security, the federal government's largest and most successful domestic program, is at center stage in Washington. Unfortunately, many Americans who recognize the importance of the issue have become confused both by the complexity of the topic and an abundance of contradictory and misleading political rhetoric.This book attempts to clarify critical facts about Social Security and its future while highlighting widely repeated but inaccurate claims about the system. Topics explored include myths and misunderstandings about public opinion toward Social Security, the potential impact of the retirement of the baby boom generation on the American economy, whether Americans are saving enough for retirement, the relationship between the program and the federal budget, and misperceptions about the extent to which the stock market can and cannot help the system's long-term prospects.The volume is edited by Richard C. Leone, president of The Century Foundation, and Gregory Anrig, Jr., vice president. Contributing authors include Brookings Institution economists Henry J. Aaron, Robert D. Reischauer, and William Gale; former Social Security Commissioner Robert M. Ball; and Brandeis University economist James H. Schulz.

With more than 10,000 baby boomers retiring daily, it is more important than ever to understand your Social Security benefits. The decisions you make now regarding Social Security will impact the amount of benefits you will receive for the rest of your life. This book will help you better understand the basics of Social Security and how to maximize your benefits. You will learn: - How does Social Security work? - When to file for Social Security. - The different ways to file for Social Security, including new ways to file. - Costly mistakes to avoid. - Strategies to maximize benefits for spouses and widows. - How to avoid having your Social Security taxed. - How a Government Pension affects Social Security. - How working in retirement affects your Social Security. - How to coordinate other retirement income with Social Security. The decisions you make today about Social Security will have an impact over what you will receive for the rest of your life. The wrong decision could cost you thousands of dollars or more of lost Social Security beneefits over your lifetime.

Here at last are the hard-to-find answers to the dizzying array of financial questions plaguing those who are age fifty and older. The financial world is more complex than ever, and people are struggling to make sense of it all. If you’re like most people moving into the phase of life where protecting—as well as growing-- assets is paramount, you’re faced with a number of financial puzzles. Maybe you’re struggling to get your kids through college without drawing down your life’s savings. Perhaps you sense your nest egg is at risk and want to move into safer investments. Maybe you’re contemplating downsizing to a smaller home, but aren’t sure of the financial implications. Possibly, medical expenses have become a bigger drain than you expected and you need help assessing options. Perhaps you’ll shortly be eligible for social security but want to optimize when and how to take it. Whatever your specific financial issue, one thing is certain—your range of choices is vast. As the financial world becomes increasingly complex, what you need is deeply researched advice from professionals whose credentials are impeccable and who prize clarity and straightforwardness over financial mumbo-jumbo. Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz and the Schwab team have been helping clients tackle their toughest money issues for decades. Through Carrie’s popular “Ask Carrie” columns, her leadership of the Charles Schwab Foundation, and her work across party lines through two White House administrations and with the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, she has become one of America’s most trusted sources for financial advice. Here, Carrie will not only answer all the questions that keep you up at night, she’ll provide answers to many questions you haven’t considered but should.

On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Social Security Act. More than 65 million Americans received Social Security benefits in January 2022. In addition to retirement benefits, workers who pay Social Security payroll taxes also get life insurance and disability protection. Their required earnings must be higher (up to $147,000 in 2022) the bigger their benefit. Social Security benefits are graduated; for workers earning less, they represent a larger portion of earlier earnings.Social Security provides a foundation for retirement security for practically everyone in the United States. 97% of seniors (between the ages of 60 and 89) are either receiving or will soon be receiving Social Security. The average monthly Social Security retirement benefit in January 2022 was $1,614, or $19,370 annually. Social Security means testing would eliminate many of these benefits without creating any savings. Most Americans say that they appreciate Social Security and don't mind contributing to it. In homes receiving Social Security payments in 2019, there were more than 6.5 million kids under the age of 18. Official estimates state that in 2020, Social Security lifted 1.1 million children out of poverty. Social Security often provides the majority of income for older people. Most elderly Americans with modest incomes get little or no pension payments. Older Black and Latino persons who live in poverty are around 2.5 times more prevalent than older White people. Senior people of color have more retirement insecurity than older people of white race. Because they earn less money and live longer than men, women require Social Security more than men do. Women make about half of Social Security beneficiaries in their 60s. To primarily address the program's long-term financing problem, politicians should concentrate on increasing tax receipts for Social Security, according to academics.