ArcaMax

I'm a little late in getting to this issue. But as the old adage goes -- better late than never. This column is going to be about the annual report of the Social Security Board of Trustees concerning the financial health of the program. (More about this board at the end of the column.) The trustees' report came out a couple of weeks ago and made...Read more

If you think you are eligible for Social Security benefits, you have every right to file a claim for those benefits. This is a message I've delivered before in this column. But recent emails tell me it's time to send the message again. Here are several of those emails.

Q: Even though my husband and I lived together for 20 years, we didn't ...Read more

Dear Toni,

I am an American turning 65 in September and am confused about my Medicare decision. I don’t know where to start or what to do.

Can you please help me with what my Medicare options are? Thanks, Toni.

—Stephanie from Orlando, Fla.

Hi Stephanie:

Don’t feel alone, because there is a person entering Medicare every 8 ...Read more

There is probably no question I am asked more often than some version of this: "When should I file for Social Security?" And I've discerned from my emails over the years that there is no issue senior citizens fret over more than the answer to that question.

To answer it, many people prepare spreadsheets. They construct matrices. They buy books....Read more

I’m stressed about what I need to do to enroll in Medicare because I am working part-time with no benefits, only individual health insurance. I turn 65 in November and need my Medicare and Part D plan to begin Nov. 1.

How does Medicare’s fall enrollment period affect me, since I will be applying for Medicare this fall? How can I ensure I...Read more

I've written many columns explaining how Social Security benefits are figured. So, I'm not really going to do that today. Instead, I'm going to answer some emails from readers that get into some quirky features of the whole process. But first, to set the stage, here is a fairly routine question.

Q: I'm in my late 50s and am starting to think ...Read more

Well, the votes are in. (Actually, they are still coming in, but I had to cut them off at some point and compile results.) Anyway, I'm shocked! Several weeks ago, I asked my readers to rate the service they got from the Social Security Administration in the form of stars: 5 stars for good service, down to 1 star for poor service. 148 of you ...Read more

Dear Toni,

I am retired and have moved to North Carolina to help my mother and older brother, Johnny, rebuild our family home after the devastation from Hurricane Helene last September. My brother was not prepared, and so I need to help Johnny put together an emergency plan.

What can we do to be prepared for another hurricane, tornado or ...Read more

Hello Toni:

I have Original Medicare with a Supplement. In March, I was ambulanced to the emergency room for heart issues. I had a big surprise when a hospital employee asked me to sign a Medicare form while I was waiting in the ER to see if I was to be admitted as an inpatient or sent home. I was lucky that the doctor sent me home.

Did I ...Read more

I've been getting more than a few emails lately from folks who say they plan to move overseas. Some told me they just want to escape the political turmoil in this country. Others probably have a bad case of wanderlust. I'm sure others are just thinking about retiring and returning to their ancestral home, or perhaps still others see some of the ...Read more