Stay current on important Social Security topics. Here you will find our latest articles and analysis on SSA news, filing strategies, and policy issues, because the more information you have, the better decisions you can make.
Be sure to check back often for further updates.
Planning to Retire Abroad? What You Should Know About Your Social Security Entitlement
Planning to Retire Abroad? What You Should Know About Your Social Security Entitlement As someone who has worked with Social Security claims and entitlement issues for many years, I often meet people who are excited about retiring abroad but have not fully considered how that decision can affect their benefits. If you are planning to move outside the United States, or if you are already living abroad, it is important ...
Read moreAre you widowed at age 60?
Are you widowed at age 60?🌸 Throughout my career, I always felt bad after talking to applicants who didn't realize they could have filed for their widow’s benefits earlier. It bothered me to see anyone lose out on the benefits they’ve earned simply because they didn't have the right information. I want you to take a moment and really hear this. If you are widowed and 60 years old, please repeat after me: ...
Read moreWorking After You Start Receiving Social Security Benefits
Working After You Start Receiving Social Security Benefits You have filed for your retirement benefits and have decided to continue to work. You are earning over the earnings limit. What now? Working While Receiving Social Security Retirement Benefits Understanding how and when to report your work helps you...
Read moreThe Plain English Act of 2010
On June 1st, 1998, President Clinton issued a memorandum on Plain Language in Government Writing. It was in response to the public's repeated expressions of frustration of not being able to understand official government correspondence. Part of the rationale was to make correspondence more understandable in all aspects of communication with the public. I was working at the downtown Rochester NY field office at the time of roll out. As I recall, we were instructed to make every communication as plain as possible, to use short sentences, and keep the English usage at a seventh grade level. It wa...
Read moreMedicare Insights: Key Deadlines and Eligibility Guidance
Navigate Medicare Open Enrollment with confidence this year. This overview will help you make informed decisions to optimize your Medicare coverage. If you are already entitled to Medicare, open enrollment is currently underway. You have until December 7th to review, switch, or make any changes to your upcoming year of health care coverage. When considering what coverage best meets your needs, I always recommend seeking out recommendations from a source that is not invested in selling you their product. • Medicare.gov Guidance: Medicare.gov provides free a...
Read moreSocial Security Administration (SSA) Current Events
Leadership Update: Frank Bisignano, the 18th Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), was recently appointed as the first-ever Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a newly created position that brings an unprecedented dual leadership role in two of the largest federal agencies. Bisignano will continue his role at SSA while simultaneously managing the day-to-day operations of the IRS, reporting to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who serves as acting IRS Commissioner. This appointment bypassed the usual congressional confirmati...
Read moreUnderstanding the Complexity of Social Security Benefits
Understanding the Complexity of Social Security Benefits “What am I entitled to?” That’s the question many people ask when approaching Social Security—and the answer is rarely straightforward. A single individual could potentially qualify for...
Read moreThe latest at SSA
The latest at SSA It’s official – Frank Bisignano, former president and CEO of Fiserv, CEO of First Data, and as the COO of JPMorgan Chase, was sworn in as the Social Security Administration’s newest commissioner on May 7, 2025. Bisignano’s stated priority is to transform SSA into a model of excellence that operates at peak efficiency and delivers outstanding service to every American. SSA’s most recent press release highlights several key achievements. You can review an overview of their stated achievements at: ...
Read moreRecent Events at SSA
Recent Events at SSA Let’s get into the new administration's policies affecting Social Security. Since Martin O’Malley resigned as Commission of SSA on 11/29/24 there have been three acting commissioners: Carolyn W. Colvin 11/30/25 – 02/16/25 who resigned citing her deep concerns over Trump/Musk disruptions at SSA. She was quoted “I’m not sure exactly what their goal is,” said Colvin. “We took the issue of fraud seriously during my time at the agency. Musk is putting out a lot of misinformation that has already been discredited.” Michelle King 01/20/25 – 02/16/25 re...
Read moreNew SSA Legislation
On January 5th , 2025, President Biden signed into law the Social Security Fairness Act of2023 (H.R. 82) that repeals SSA amendment (Public Law 9821) enacted in 1983 creating Social Security Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)computational adjustments applicable to wage earners that had non-covered wages in their lifetime. This change will affect over 2 million beneficiaries.This law will mostly affect federal, state, local government, or foreign retirement pension recipients who have had GPO or WEP applied t...
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