How to Reduce (or Avoid!) Taxes on Social Security Benefits
These five strategies can minimize the taxes you’ll pay on Social Security and help extend the life of your nest egg.
You’ve Been Given the Chance to Retire Early—Now What?
You’ve brought in a regular income and made wise investments throughout your life. Now you’re facing the transition from generating income to drawing down your savings.
Don’t Overlook These Inflation-Related Opportunities
Discover several ways to offset inflation through tax-efficient saving in 2023.
Tips for Enduring Inflation in Retirement
According to a survey conducted at the end of 2021, about 88% of Americans are very worried about inflation and many say they are planning to cut back their spending.1 Prices…
Social Security Do-Overs: What Are the Options?
If you’re regretting the timing of starting Social Security, you may be able to rethink your strategy by restarting or suspending benefits.
How to Avoid Overreliance on Social Security (While Making the Most of It)
It may be wise to plan for retirement without full Social Security, since projections indicate the future of the benefit is unpredictable.
What to Know Before Drawing Social Security Benefits
Deciding when to begin Social Security benefits is complicated. Weighing these factors, and running careful tax projections, can help.
Consider These Three Factors Prior to Drawing Social Security Benefits
Keep in mind that claiming Social Security benefits before FRA results in a permanent reduction in the benefit amount, whether you are claiming spousal benefits or your own.
9 Retirement Decisions You’ll Want To Make With a Specialist
It’s wise to use an adviser whose primary focus is on strategies that maximize the retirement experience.
Becoming Financially Independent Part 3: Build Your New Three-Legged Stool™ and Help It Grow
It’s just as important to diversify how funds are saved as it is to diversify how they are invested.
Becoming Financially Independent Part 2: Do Not Disturb Accumulation, Do Not Overlook Consolidation
Do not spend money that has been accumulated for financial independence. Invading long-term savings extends the time it will take to achieve a goal.
Becoming Financially Independent, Part 1: Where to Start
Time is the most important word in our investment vocabulary. If financial independence is the goal, starting today beats waiting until tomorrow.
Five Small Steps for You, One Giant Leap for Your Retirement
Take small steps, make prudent choices year after year, and watch your savings and investments grow.
Seven Sensible Things You Should Do Before Retirement
Are you ready for retirement?
More on Implementing the Plan: PHASE 3 of the AGILE Retirement Journey
The “I” phase of an A·G·I·L·E retirement is considered a crucial time to fine-tune your transition into financial independence.
When Should You Take Social Security?
Before you decide when to begin drawing Social Security benefits, you should evaluate a number of factors, including life expectancy and the financial challenges that face the Social Security system.
Creating an Online Social Security Account
By creating an online Social Security account, you can review your annual statement, take a closer look at your earnings record, and verify that your tax payments are being credited correctly.
6 Ways to Help You Reach Your Retirement Goals
It’s never too early to start planning for retirement. By setting a strategy— and sticking to it—you can help achieve your goal of financial independence sooner.
Dos and Don’ts of Retirement Planning
Use these tips and strategies about spending, saving, and asset allocation to reach your retirement goals.
The Waiting Game: When is the Best Time to Begin Social Security Benefits?
Social Security gives workers the option to take benefits anytime between the ages of 62 and 70, and it offers some incentives to those who are willing to wait. Waiting eight…
Tax-Efficient Investing: Why Tax Planning and Investments Should Work Together
Managing an investment portfolio efficiently requires knowledge of income taxes and your tax bracket specifically.
Retroactive Social Security Benefits: Is it right for you?
If you are over your full retirement age, you have the option to back-date your application up to six months. This is almost never the best strategy.
How Do Retirees Get Paid in Retirement?
What happens when the paychecks stop, and retirement begins? It is one of the most pressing questions we hear from people approaching retirement.
11 Things Everyone Should Know About Social Security Benefits
Social Security benefits are an important part of nearly everyone’s retirement plan. Many people think of Social Security benefits as a supplement to their income when they retire.
How the Death of a Spouse Affects Taxes and Retirement Income
Many people mistakenly believe their expenses will be half as much as a widow(er) than as a couple. This is true of some expenses, like food and clothing. However, larger expenses related…
Means Testing Social Security: What We Know Right Now
Means testing could take the form of more income taxes, a reduction in benefits, a surtax or some other method.
What Does It Mean to Be a “Retirement Specialist”?
The Rodgers & Associates logo includes “The Retirement Specialists.” The home page of our website says we “specialize in financial planning for those who are retired or expect to retire within…
Don’t Retire Broke!
The New Three-Legged Stool A Tax-efficient Approach to Retirement Planning was published in June of 2009. People had been told for years that they would be in a lower tax bracket…
Differences Between Spousal and Survivor Benefits, Explained
What you need to know about spousal and survivor benefits.
Where is Your Social Security Benefit Statement?
The benefit statement contains an estimate of monthly benefits at various claiming ages and for disability claims.
Can You Draw a Spousal Social Benefit if You are Divorced?
And what does “dually entitled” mean?
Common Questions About Social Security
Last month I started a series on planning for retirement. See the other posts in the series here: Has Planning for Retirement Ever Been More Difficult? Three More Questions Retirees Ask More Common Retirement Questions…
Social Security Basics
In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, which provided a nationwide retirement and social welfare program for the first time. Since then, Social Security has grown to become…
Keep Up-to-Date with Social Security
Annual Social Security benefit statements no longer come in the mail.
Hold on to Your Last Social Security Statement
The Social Security Administration will no longer mail you an annual Social Security statement. Here’s what you need to do.
