Question: Dear Steve, Several years ago, I was so overcome with debt I filed for bankruptcy. Three years later, I find myself in the same situation, overcome with debt because it’s easy for most to get loans even with a bankruptcy. I opened an account with a “debt settlement” firm, but I’m still struggling to …
Question: Dear Steve, I am about to turn 69 years old. I am a disabled, retired Radiology Technologist who wound up on permanent disability from a catastrophic illness that drained me of all my savings resulting in my living solely on Social Security when I turned 65. There are a few instances where I “make” …
The Social Security program aims to provide retirement and disability benefits to workers and their families. Workers pay into the system, the government holds onto the money, and the money earns interest. When workers reach eligibility, the government returns money to them. Essentially, this system relies on a steady stream of workers. But can Social …
Question: Dear Steve, I’m retired, receiving social security and small pension, $21,404 annually. I bought a mobile home a couple of years ago, good price, as-is. Turned out to be more than I bargained for. I currently owe about $13,000 between credit cards and one personal loan (about $10,000). I’m making payments but have missed …
While “it’ll figure itself out” might be a popular mindset when thinking about future Social Security benefits, particularly if you’re still relatively young, you don’t have to know much about the topic to understand that strategy probably won’t yield the results you might be hoping for in your retirement years. You also aren’t alone: Only …
into Social Security — that you would not be eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Well, that’s not the case. In fact, there are several different scenarios in which a person can receive Social Security benefits without ever having paid into the system, or even worked, for that matter. Among the people eligible for Social Security without having worked …
In a new SimplyWise survey, we asked a panel of 60 to 70 year old’s about their knowledge of specific social security rules and identified the four misconceptions that were the most prevalent. Social Security has a massive reach, with an estimated 64 million Americans having received benefits in 2019, according to the Social Security Administration. The impact is …
Phil Moeller, the author of Get What’s Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs and co-author of the updated edition of How to Get What’s Yours: The Revised Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security, answers a reader question about Social Security: Question I was born in 1951 and my wife in 1950. She began drawing …
Question: Dear Steve, I am 57 yo male married 27 years my wife is 52 yo we both work full time but r in debit for cars, student loans, and house payment plus my wages r being garnished by SSI for overpayment We owe about 160,000.00 student loans 1 car pay 427.00/ month for 30 …
Question: Dear Steve, Situation * In 1974 I took out a Federal School Loan at McMahon Court Reporting School. The school was closed in 1975. I did not think I owed the loan because of school closure and had to endure additional expense to attend a like school 600 miles from my home. I never …