Claimed Too Early? A Social Security Do-Over Most People Miss
If you've claimed Social Security early, you may still have options to boost your future benefits.
07-18-2026
Latest
Working Women vs. Stay-at-Home Moms—The Argument Continues
Some working women find it unfair that they get smaller checks than women who didn't work.
07-22-2026
Grocery Clerks, Managers, and Maytags
SSA representatives are trained to handle the matters we present to them.
07-15-2026
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Some people must lie awake nights and worry that they might make a decision they think will cost them thousands of dollars in lost benefits.
07-8-2026
Government Health Care: A Before and After Story
Many Americans love all the benefits provided by Social Security and Medicare, as long as they don't have to pay too much for them.
07-1-2026
Divorced Men and Social Security
Most men earned more than their ex-spouse, and they are concerned about their exes filing for spousal benefits.
06-24-2026
How Many Questions Can I Answer Today?
Every once in a while, I like to challenge myself by seeing how many Social Security questions I can answer in just one column.
06-17-2026
Benefit Computations: Simple and Advanced
You can find a complete breakdown of those computation "bend points" at www.socialsecurity.gov.
06-10-2026
The Real Story Behind Social Security Overpayments
More than 99.5 percent of the time, people are being paid correctly.
06-3-2026
More Social Security Rules I Can’t Explain
There are a few Social Security rules that people question a lot.
05-27-2026
Why Are There So Many Rules?
Social security accommodates all the complicated twists and turns of life.
05-20-2026
Forbes Column Full of Holes
A recent edition of Forbes Magazine included an article called "Seven Ways Social Security Benefits are Unfair.
05-13-2026
The Good Old Days at a Social Security Office Were Not Necessarily So!
Let me take you back to a Social Security office in 1973.
05-6-2026
Identity Theft: Usually Not a Social Security Issue
SSA gets involved in your life for three reasons but resolving identity theft is not one of them.
04-29-2026
Lawyers and Social Security Disability
If it were easy to qualify for disability benefits, why would people need to hire lawyers to get them?
04-22-2026
An Old and Whacky Social Security Rant
There's been an email being passed around for decades filled with half-baked ideas, exaggerations, and outright lies.
04-15-2026
When My Word Isn’t Good Enough
Some readers want legal references for the Social Security rules being explained.
04-8-2026
Two Social Security Benefits You Never Heard Of
Almost all the people who were eligible for these benefits were born before 1896.
04-1-2026
What Is the Future of Retirement With Social Security?
Without changes, Social Security may not pay full benefits by 2033.
03-25-2026
Explaining Social Security ‘Claim’ Numbers
A claim number is the Social Security number on which you are claiming Social Security benefits.
03-25-2026
Working While You’re Collecting Social Security
Early Social Security claims may shrink your benefits—here’s what to know before you file.
03-20-2026
Raising the Cap on Taxable Income Has Drawbacks
The more you pay into the system, the more you are going to get out of the system.
03-18-2026
Simple and Smart Update
There is a great book written by yours truly that can answer your Social Security questions.
03-11-2026