Social Security benefits

Working seniors who intend to start collecting Social Security benefits in the middle of the year should know about the monthly earnings test.

82% of beneficiaries who qualified for survivor benefits and their own benefits were not informed that they could opt for a restricted application and boost their benefit.

New FINRA rules will help the wealth management industry do its part to identify and prevent elder abuse.

Raising the payroll tax is the easy way (in theory); here are other solutions for funding the Social Security shortfall.

The number of accounts with $1 million or more increased to 150,000 in the fourth quarter of 2017 from 93,000 recorded in the same quarter the year before.

Retirees are advised to step back to get a better perspective and then review their asset allocation in their portfolio.

As long as their earnings won't exceed the limit set by the Social Security Administration, they will not lose their benefits.

Solid financial planning is a key component in helping demystify these government programs.

Clients have a hundred—if not a thousand—possible options to consider when claiming Social Security benefits.

Personal income is not subject to state taxes in Alaska, Florida and five other states, while 31 states do not impose taxes on Social Security benefits.

Retirees living overseas can still claim Social Security benefits, but they must see if their country of residence requires them to have a local bank account.

Retirees should consider that state laws may differ on who may be legally recognized as a beneficiary's spouse and thus whether their partner would be entitled to spousal benefits.

While the funds are ideal for certain people, they don't address important retirement considerations, such as the cost of funding a comfortable living and a person’s savings rate.

With many private and public pensions in the red, clients are advised to look for options that will improve their prospects, such as Roth IRAs.

IRA investors can draw funds from their accounts tax-free if the money will be used to fund college tuition and other related costs.

Adding five years to their working years will enable clients to replace their pre-retirement income by up to 90% instead of 60% in some cases.

Seniors looking to launch a business should consider collecting their retirement benefits early.

Retirees will have to change the way they file taxes under the new tax law, including making two years' worth of charitable donations every other year to exceed the standard deduction and itemize.

Clients who prefer a simple retirement investing strategy should consider a dividend stock index fund.

Clients may want to opt for a fund that follows small companies as they will benefit from a lower corporate tax rate under the new tax law.