Social Security

3 Ways to Raise Your Social Security Benefit

Wondering how to maximize your Social Security benefits? It’s not as difficult as you may believe. Here are three options almost anyone can do. Not so long ago, baby boomers viewed Social Security as a retirement program for old folks. High-earning boomers felt that Social Security didn’t apply to them because the monthly checks were …

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How to File a Restricted Application

Due to legislative changes, fewer people can take advantage of spousal Social Security strategies. But if you qualify, they can be a major benefit. You may have heard from friends or the media about the “restricted application” for Social Security benefits. This is still available for some people, but you must meet certain criteria. Ordinarily, …

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Federal Employees and Social Security

If you have ever worked for the federal government, you know there can be confusion about CSRS, FERS, and something called “CSRS offset.” Let’s see how these federal retirement plans interact with Social Security. CSRS or FERS? The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) was enacted in 1920 to give federal employees pension benefits at retirement. …

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Why Open a my Social Security Account?

You might assume it’s safer to keep your personal details—especially your Social Security number—off the internet. Actually, setting up a my Social Security account is an important step toward protecting your benefits. We’ve all heard warnings not to give out our Social Security numbers anywhere—not on the phone, not online. So it might seem counterintuitive …

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Will Working Longer Help – Or Hinder – Your Social Security Benefit?

Continued earnings could increase your Social Security benefit depending on your situation. One thing is for sure: working part-time at reduced pay will never cause your benefit to go down. A common question among people in their 60s is this: If I keep working, will my Social Security benefit go up? An even more common …

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Social Security, Citizenship, and Residency

The vast majority of American citizens spend their whole lives in the U.S., paying into the U.S. Social Security system and eventually drawing benefits which are deposited into a U.S. bank account. But as with all things Social Security, there can be complications. Here are some examples of how Social Security works in overseas cases. …

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