Retirement & Social Security
Your Medicare Annual Notice of Change: What to Read
Every fall your Medicare plan mails an Annual Notice of Change listing next year’s costs and coverage. Here are the…
Extra Help Paying for Prescription Drugs
Medicare’s Extra Help program pays Part D premiums and deductibles and caps copays for lower income enrollees. Applying is free…
Medigap or Medicare Advantage: The Real Choice
Medigap buys freedom and predictable bills; Medicare Advantage buys lower premiums and managed care. Here is the trade-off, including the…
Medicare Part D: How the 2026 Drug Cap Works
Medicare Part D caps out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,100 in 2026. Here is what counts toward the cap and how…
Setting Up Your my Social Security Account
A free my Social Security account lets you check your earnings record, estimate benefits, and block fraud. Here is how…
The Part B Late-Enrollment Penalty, and How to Avoid It
Miss your Medicare Part B window and your premium rises 10 percent for every year you waited, usually for life.…
Divorced-Spouse Benefits After a 10-Year Marriage
A marriage that lasted 10 years can entitle you to Social Security on an ex-spouse’s record, worth up to half…
How Social Security Is Taxed in 2026
Up to 85 percent of Social Security can be taxable in 2026, but a new $6,000 senior deduction softens the…
The Earnings Test If You Work While Claiming
In 2026 the Social Security earnings test withholds benefits if you earn over $24,480 before full retirement age. Here is…
Survivor Benefits: What a Widow or Widower Can Claim
Social Security survivor benefits can pay a widow or widower up to 100 percent of a late spouse’s check. Here…