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Supporting Widows and Building Connections Dec. 04, 2024
Dear Readers: So many of you wrote about the widow columns that I printed recently, and made some in... Read More
You Say Tomato, I Say Tomahto! Dec. 04, 2024
Every once in a while, I will use a word or phrase — with the most innocent of intentions R... Read More
Social Security: A Global View Nov. 27, 2024
I have always been amazed by the number of people who think Social Security is unique to the United ... Read More
Give Thanks for Social Security Nov. 20, 2024
I'm dusting off an old Thanksgiving-themed column I ran many years ago. I thought that now would be ... Read More
Navigating Social Exclusion as a Widow Nov. 13, 2024
Dear Reader: Many of you wrote in regarding the newly widowed woman who stopped receiving invitation... Read More
How Other Government Benefits Interact With Social Security Nov. 13, 2024
I have been saving up some emails from readers who want to know how other government benefits might ... Read More
Seeing It in Black and White Nov. 06, 2024
Readers are always asking me to explain various Social Security rules and regulations. But sometimes... Read More
Politics, Elections and Social Security Oct. 30, 2024
Because the presidential and congressional elections are on everyone's mind, more than a few people ... Read More
Fed Up With Mom's Mess Oct. 26, 2024
Dear Annie: My elderly mom wants to move from her house in the country to a smaller home in town. Th... Read More
Here Are Some Social Security Rules I Can't Explain Oct. 23, 2024
I've always prided myself on being able to explain the rationale behind various Social Security rule... Read More
Social Security COLA for 2025 Oct. 16, 2024
In mid-October every year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its much-anticipated report on ch... Read More
A Widow Doesn't Have To 'Live in Sin' To Get Social Security Oct. 09, 2024
Q: My mother told me she remembers a time when women had to "live in sin" (those are her words) to a... Read More
How Your Retirement Benefit Is Figured Oct. 02, 2024
I've learned over the years that when it comes to Social Security retirement benefit calculations, t... Read More
Posting Without Permission Oct. 01, 2024
Dear Annie: I really don't like having my picture taken because I don't feel photogenic. I've asked ... Read More
Rumors About Undocumented Immigrants and Social Security Are Untrue Sep. 25, 2024
For years, I've been hearing silly rumors about undocumented immigrants and Social Security. And tho... Read More
More About the Death of a Spouse Sep. 18, 2024
Sometimes I'll include something in a column about a broader topic that I think is just a small, alm... Read More
Foreign Pensions and Social Security Sep. 11, 2024
I've commented many times before that Social Security is a global phenomenon. Almost every country o... Read More
When and How To File for Social Security Benefits Sep. 04, 2024
There is probably nothing I am asked more often than some version of this question: "When should I f... Read More
Two Isn't Always Better Than One Aug. 28, 2024
Dear Annie: I am a 70-year-old retired man with no children. My wife died in 2016, and we had a very... Read More
'I'll Tell You What's Wrong With Social Security!' Aug. 28, 2024
Every single day, more than a few of the emails I get from readers start out with this (or a similar... Read More
