Signing up for Social Security when you have a government pension
If you are a retired teacher, firefighter, police officer or federal employee under the old civil service system, and someone told you years ago that your government pension would…
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When to contact Social Security if your spouse passes away
The funeral home will ask you for the Social Security number of the person who died. Hand it over and let them make the report. That one step, which takes them about a minute,…
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Why your Medicare Part B premium might be higher than your neighbor’s
Two people on the same street, both 68, both on original Medicare, and one of them is paying nearly three times what the other pays for exactly the same coverage. Nothing is…
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How divorced spouses can claim Social Security on an ex-partner’s record
You can collect Social Security on an ex-husband’s or ex-wife’s earnings record. You do not need their permission, you do not need to tell them, and they will never find out from…
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Steps to take if you disagree with a Social Security decision
Social Security gets things wrong. Not often as a share of everything they process, but they handle an enormous volume, and when they get yours wrong it is a hundred percent of…
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What happens to your benefits if you work after retirement age
The letter that arrives from the Social Security Administration when the earnings test catches you is a masterpiece of bad writing. It tells you your benefits are being withheld….
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How to read the annual notice of change from your Medicare plan
Every September a document lands in the post from your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, and almost everyone throws it away. It is called the Annual Notice of Change, and it is…
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What your former employer’s retiree health plan actually covers
The benefits booklet from your old employer and the Medicare handbook will each describe a complete system of coverage. Read them separately and you would think you have two full…
