Category: Guest Blogger
Ask Rusty: When Should I Claim Social Security?
Your wife cannot collect a spousal benefit until you start collecting your Social Security, so if she claims benefits before you claim, she will initially get only what she is entitled to on her own work record. Then when you claim, the “spousal boost” will be added to her benefit.
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Ask Rusty: Retiring from Work, When Should I Claim Social Security?
When you claim, your Social Security benefit amount will depend upon two things – your “primary insurance amount” (or “PIA”) which is determined from your highest earning 35 years (adjusted for inflation) over your lifetime, and the age at which you claim your SS benefit.
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Ask Rusty: How do I apply with Social Security offices closed?
All Social Security offices are currently closed to public visits, but they are still providing telephone services (although telephone wait times are usually longer these days). You can apply over the phone if you wish.
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The $400 mobile phone
Are you considering a new mobile phone but don’t want to pay $600 to $1200? This may be a golden age for your golden years – at least as far as phones are concerned.
While seniors usually don’t live on their phones like their children or grandchildren, we’re starting to find more uses for our phones. But we don’t want to break the bank or feel like we’re forced to pay more than we want for a new one.
Smart Tech Solutions for Aging in Place
As our population ages and more people prefer to remain in their homes for as long as possible, technology continues to offer more solutions to aid their safety and the peace of mind of family and friends. Combinations of devices, new applications and the internet make it possible to tailor a tech system for just about any personal need.
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Ask Rusty: What Happens to my Social Security if I Die at Age 62?
Social Security FICA payroll taxes collected from current workers are used to pay all those who are currently receiving benefits. Any excess collected which is not paid out in benefits is deposited into a special Trust Fund and held in reserve for the future. My hope is that understanding this will dispel a far too widely held myth that the money you pay into the Social Security program from your paycheck is deposited into a personal account for you—it is not. Rather, that money is used to pay benefits to all those who are already collecting Social Security.
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These Are a Few of Our Favorite Sites
The number of websites and applications that can make your life better is overwhelming, so we’ve decided to share some of our favorites, along with the reasons we like them.
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Ask Rusty: Does Paying Social Security Payroll Tax Increase my Benefit?
Everyone who works and earns—even those who are collecting Social Security benefits—must pay the Social Security FICA payroll tax. But paying that payroll tax doesn’t entitle you to a benefit increase. The FICA tax you pay doesn’t get credited to a personal account for you; rather, it goes into the Social Security general fund to help pay benefits to all current beneficiaries.
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Ask Rusty: Spousal and Survivor Benefits
Since your husband is already receiving his Social Security retirement benefits, you are eligible to collect spousal benefits at any time after you reach age 62, even though you are collecting Social Security Disability benefits (you don’t have to wait until he’s 70); however, if you start those spousal benefits before you reach your full retirement age (FRA) they will be reduced.
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Taking Pictures with Your Phone
As we get older and more active, many of us are turning more and more to our mobile phones to take and share pictures and videos as we travel or do things with our grandchildren. To be sure, mobile-phone cameras are not your father’s Brownie camera. They have tons more capabilities, many of which you can master with a little understanding.
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Selecting a ‘New’ i-Phone
To help you better understand the differences of iPhone models and their features, let’s review the various lines, starting with a brief look at the iPhone 11 and working back from there.
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Ask Rusty: Should I Take Social Security at 62?
If you take your Social Security benefits when you’re 62, the monthly amount you receive will be 27.5% lower than you would get at your full retirement age of 66 1/2. But if your current health issues mean that you must stop working and lose income you rely upon to make ends meet, then taking your benefits at age 62 will give you some badly needed financial relief.
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