Importance of Pet Companionship
By Abigail Haller, Screening Integration Coordinator at Elder Law of Michigan According to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), approximately 85 million families own a pet in the United States. Having a pet comes with many physical, mental, and emotional health benefits. It’s no surprise many households have a furry family member. One commonly known benefit of having a pet is companionship. … Continue reading Importance of Pet Companionship
Get your Social Security Benefit Statement (SSA-1099 / SSA-1042S)
By Vonda Vantil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist Tax season is approaching, and we have made replacing your annual Benefit Statement even easier. The Benefit Statement, also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form we mail each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from us in the previous … Continue reading Get your Social Security Benefit Statement (SSA-1099 / SSA-1042S)
(Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Raiding Your 401(K) Can Be a Divorce Disaster
Via Kiplinger By Stacy Francis Many divorcing spouses find themselves strapped for money to pay for mounting legal bills and the higher costs of supporting two households, rather than one. With bank accounts and brokerage accounts drained to zero, some look to tap their employer 401(k)s or IRAs for quick cash to cover these costs. Within a few days, you can have the balance of … Continue reading (Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Raiding Your 401(K) Can Be a Divorce Disaster
Winter Wellness for Beating the Blues
By Sheila Robison, MiCAFE Economic Security Team Member at Elder Law of Michigan The National Institute of Mental Health reports some people feel moody or even saddened during winter months. During the cold months of the year, folks are not able to get outdoors, open windows in their home for fresh air, or get proper sunlight and exercise. Winter months are long and with Daylight Savings Time, … Continue reading Winter Wellness for Beating the Blues
Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions
By Shanon Gallagher, Screening Integration Coordinator at Elder Law of Michigan We are a month into the New Year, have you kept up with your New Year’s resolution? The rule of thumb is that it takes three weeks to form a habit. When the New Year approaches, many individuals view it as an opportunity to start the year off healthier by vowing to eat better, lose weight, … Continue reading Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions
(Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Who owes all that student debt? And who’d benefit if it were forgiven?
Via Brookings By Adam Looney, David Wessel and Kadija Yilla Student debt is a big issue in the 2020 presidential campaign for an obvious reason: There’s a lot of it—about $1.5 trillion, up from $250 billion in 2004. Students loans are now the second largest slice of household debt after mortgages, bigger than credit card debt. About 42 million Americans (about one in every eight) have … Continue reading (Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Who owes all that student debt? And who’d benefit if it were forgiven?
Ready to Retire? Apply Online with Social Security
By Vonda Vantil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist It’s never too early to start planning for retirement and our online tools can help. Go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to access your my Social Security account to get a personalized estimate of your retirement benefits based on your earnings record. Once you have an account, you can use our Retirement Calculator, to check out how your benefits change … Continue reading Ready to Retire? Apply Online with Social Security
(Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Retirement dreams: $3 million is the new $1 million — here’s how to get there
Via MarketWatch By Shawn Langlois Have you and your 401(k) plan ridden this relentless bull market into glorious millionaire territory? If so, congratulations! Well done. Etc. Now here’s the bad news: ‘The new rule of thumb is $3 million.’ That is financial planner Thomas Balcom explaining to Fortune why the long-held goal of a million bucks in retirement savings isn’t cutting it these days. Another adviser in … Continue reading (Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Retirement dreams: $3 million is the new $1 million — here’s how to get there
(Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Baby boomers commit the ‘7 deadly sins’ of retirement planning
Via MarketWatch By Brett Arends The lights have been green for the baby boomers all their lives. They were born just after World War II, between 1946 and 1964, and raised during the biggest, most sustained economic boom in human history. They were sent to college, and grad school, by their doting parents when it was still cheap — or nearly free. And then, when … Continue reading (Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Baby boomers commit the ‘7 deadly sins’ of retirement planning
(Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Getting SECURE Act’s Lifetime Income Provisions Right
Via PlanSponsor By John Manganaro RETIREMENT INDUSTRY ANALYSTS broadly agree the passage of the “SECURE Act” late last year marked the most significant change for the retirement industry in more than a decade. The landmark legislation includes substantial adjustments to the regulatory systems controlling the operation of defined contribution (DC) plans, pension plans, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 529 college saving plans. It also creates a new marketplace for “open … Continue reading (Mid-America Pension Rights Project): Getting SECURE Act’s Lifetime Income Provisions Right