Former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-MD), President Biden’s nominee to be the next Commissioner of Social Security, testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on November 02, 2023 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images Three months into his role as commissioner of the Social Security … Read more
A man walks past a poster that informs customers that bitcoin can be used in this shop in Tokyo on January 06, 2018. Toru Yamanaka | Afp | Getty Images Japan’s government pension fund on Tuesday said it is requesting information on “illiquidity assets” such as bitcoin, as part of research into potential new investments. … Read more
A United Auto Workers union member holds a sign outside the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant to mark the beginning of contract negotiations in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on July 12, 2023. Rebecca Cook | Reuters Many Americans long for the days when companies guaranteed workers income in retirement. That includes Sara Schambers, a fourth-generation Ford … Read more
Tanya Constantine | Getty Images Once you start Social Security retirement benefits, you are generally guaranteed to receive monthly checks for life. But that will stop once you die — with some exceptions for your loved ones. A one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 may be available, provided your survivors meet certain requirements. For example, … Read more
Mark Edward Atkinson | Tetra Images | Getty Images What to watch for with ‘two check’ months SSI recipients must comply with strict rules. Individuals have a $2,000 limit on resources they may own such as property, stocks, bonds or bank accounts. For couples, the limit is $3,000. These thresholds have not changed since 1989. … Read more
Ascentxmedia | Istock | Getty Images Retiring early is a dream for many, but can often appear impossible unless you’ve made millions throughout your career. “Twenty years ago rates of early retirement were fairly similar across different wealth levels,” Heidi Karjalainen, a research economist for retirement, saving and aging at the Institute for Fiscal Studies … Read more
Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images Current SSI asset limits ‘lock people in poverty’ Current SSI asset limits are extremely low — $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 per couple. Those thresholds apply to all kinds of assets, including cash, bank accounts, investments and household goods. Beneficiaries who go over the limits are suspended or … Read more
Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty Images When Joyce Debnam’s husband passed away, she began receiving $1,400 a month in Social Security survivor benefits. Eight months later, that income unexpectedly changed. The trigger: Debnam retired from her job at the United States Postal Service in 2013 after four decades of service. That life change prompted … Read more
