Money

I know oldsters beyond my age got essentially a free ride, but I am at the leading edge of people who have massive student debt with little chance of paying this off. When will AARP take note and begin working for relief?

 After years of rubbish from AARP I am not renewing My membership. Constantly sending useless forms to sign, that never see the light of day.  The scare methods AARP uses on Seniors is laughable.  Most articles are just rehashes over and over.  Most of their Info is known already.  By the way Joanne  what does the AARP Lobbyists actually do ??    Disgusting. I hope others will follow My lead and CANCEL Their Membership.  BYE-Bye.

401(k) hardship withdrawals are on the rise, but NEW employer emergency savings accounts could help stem tide. By Tamara E. Holmes. Published February 28, 2024. https://www.aarp.org/retirement/planning-for-retirement/info-2024/retirement-plan-emergency-expenses.html

I will reach full retirement age in about 6 months. I'm still working full time at a job I thoroughly enjoy and am in very good health. My social security benefits at 66.5 is approximately $2700 monthly and will increase $800/month if I wait until age 70. I plan to work until 70 regardless. I've been advised by a consultant at Edwards Jones to start drawing at full retirement age and investing the $2700 until I retire at 70. (42 months X $2700 = $113,400) not counting the dividends (appoximately 6%). In theory that sounds great, but when I quit working my social security check will still be $800 less per month. Would love some opinions and/or advice.

I am 68 years old and have delayed taking Social Security. Spouse is 64. She doesn't qualify for benefits, so she would be receiving a portion of mine when I pass. Would there be any difference in her benefit amount if I started receiving payments now vs. if I hadn't begun to receive payments at the time of my death? Also, if I began taking benefits now and subequently passed away, could my surviving spouse decline payments until she reachers her FRA of 67, and then receive the maximum benefit?Thanks so much!  

------Identity Theft, Imposter Scams, Unemployment Scams, more…-----On Scams and Frauds - US Government website---- Google "USA Gov + On Scams and Frauds"

This one takes the cake, I found another new fan club for on Facebook for Alan Jackson -Great Country Legend,  shows Alan Jackson’s Daughter as creater of this fan club. I liked it and joined. Then I started getting  hammered with instant messages from what is pictured as his daughter. Wanted me to join a place where I could speak with her Father Alan Jackson. I declined. I double clicked on the creater profile her picture and read further to see many things about Nigeria 🇳🇬. Nothing on her family . I deleted & blocked this site. They apparently try to get you to join something where there will have a fake voice of Alan Jackson and it will cost you $$$$$$ a big scam. Spoiler (Highlight to read)  

I did a couple searches before starting this topic, but 'robocall' and 'phone' got so many hits I couldn't sort through them all.  It's a simple question: I recently received a voicemail on one of my phone numbers that was a robocall.  The information accompanying the voicemail indicated that the call originated from one of my other phone numbers.  This is the 1st time I've seen this kind of obvious spoofing.  Just wondering if anybody else has seen it? 

I am a widow, age 65. Initially when I visited the local SS office and presented all my paperwork, I was told that I could start collecting my SS benefit whenever I choose, and then when I turn 66+4 months I can switch over to my late husband's benefit, which is significantly higher than mine. Based on this, I chose to start receiving my benefit in January 2024, since my 2023 income is too high to collect immediately. The understanding was that I would switch to my husband's benefit after age 66. I was given a phone appointment to get the paperwork started for this. The SS agent on the phone told me this was not possible; I couldn't start taking my benefit and then switch to my husband's at age 66+4, which is contrary to what I was told in person. I asked her 3 times to make sure I understood, and she reiterated that this is the case.  My question is, which agent is correct? I can't seem to find consistent information on this. 

Hello, I am a US citizen and eligible for social security. I am presently in US, but planning to move to India for extended duration. I have following questions: Will I get social security while I am in India?Is there any restriction on how long I can be abroad (India) for continuing getting social security? Thank you Kiran Bakshi 

II have been hearing and reading about a Bill being Passed to give SS Retirement and other SS recipients, A Stimulus check in February 2024.  Is this going to happen ??  Can't seem to get any Info. My Bank has heard nothing about it.  Just wondering if anyone has information on this. Replies would be helpful.

An insurance company representative confirmed to me that this is common with older people. I had a bill and was getting calls that it needed to be paid. I called the doctor’s office and they told me that it was paid in full. And I called the insurance company and they told me that they had paid, but the bill collector who kept calling said to me that if I didn’t pay, it would be turned over to a collection agency, and my credit would be at risk. In fact, they said, “why don’t you just pay it so it doesn’t get turned over to a collection agency.” Watch out for this one! If you know you paid, don’t get scammed.

 LOOKING FOR OPINIONS ON MAKING ROTH CONVERSIONS AT AGE (72) AND BEYOND.  I REALIZE THAT INCOME TAXES ARE UNIQUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL PAYER, BUT LOOKING TO SEE IF ANYONE OUT THEIR HAS DONE SOME RECENTLY IN THESE LATE YEARS.  MY CONCERN IS THE UPCOMIMG "TRUMP TAX CUT ERA" IS SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF 2025."  PLEASE WEIGH IN ON THE PRO'S AND CON'S.  THANKS!

I see so many class action lawsuits advertised. I suspect in most of these suits, the lawyers are making millions and the individuals in the class are making a couple of bucks. Maybe we need fewer lawyers. Two lawyers are in a bank when, suddenly, two armed robbers burst in. While one of the robbers takes the money from the tellers, the other lines the customers, including the lawyers, up against a wall and proceed to take their wallets, watches, and other valuables. The first lawyer shoves something into the other one’s hand. “What is this?” the latter asks without looking. “It’s that $100 I owe you.” 

Im starting social security benefits this year in June ( age 62) . How much can I make monthly in extra income ?  I have read 2 things — a) as much as I want this year  or b) 1680 per month ( or something close to that .  Does anyone know how that works ? 

🗣  By Donna Fuscaldo,   AARP. Published September 05, 2023. I just read this article! Comments are welcome. I will comment below. https://www.aarp.org/retirement/planning-for-retirement/info-2023/signs-you-are-not-ready-to-retire.html 

What do you like? What do you dislike (and what would you change)?

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Recently I was informed by a Social Security representative they would hold several months of my supplement now based on projected income earnings over the Federal mandate of allowed annual earnings outside of Social Security rather than wait and see if I earn that amount. Is this a true thing? Is that how it is done?

----Scam Alert - Fake Numbers Appear On Your Caller ID----Caller ID Spoofing----Government website - FCC----Link doesn’t work, just Google:----“FCC + Caller ID Spoofing”

How do I get a message to Rob Tannenbaum, the author of What I Learned After Hackers Attacked Me and Stole $4,000? From reading the article, it looks like he uses an online password manager. I just wanted to let him know if he was using LastPass, they were hacked over the past year and it appears the hackers have been able to crack into password databases. He never mentioned if he ever figured out how he was compromised. But this is one way it could have been done with no obvious breach on his side.  

Hello, my husband and I were assessed this adjustment for 2024.  It was because our AGI dramatically increased due to the sale of real property in 2021.  We've been told that the adjustment CANNOT be reduced unless one of eight life-changing events occurred, which are listed and explained on formSSA-44.  None of which apply to us.  Certainly that can't be situation.  Our assessment was made because we filed our 2022 tax return in October as opposed to April, and the assessment was made based on our 2021 tax return.  Does anyone have any experience like ours?  Many thanks, and best wishes!

I don't see anything on the subject posted here, but to my understanding when you have no one to take care of your final wishes, you apparently hire an attorney for this (Your executor).   To what kind of take on the estate is one looking for them to take, about a third?   I believe if it goes this route the attorney is entitled to a higher rate of your estate than the standard executor fee. 

I was completing the retirement calculator at https://www.aarp.org/retirement/retirement-calculator/. After answering the last question on the page about our expense expectations in the future it wasn't very clear how to proceed.  The only option was to scroll further down the page where there was an option to continue after advertisements.  I clicked on this and then there was some message about donating clothing.  I continued again and then received a pop from a bogus Windows Defender telling me my computer is frozen and to call a phone number for assistance.  The message also stated not to restart my computer as I could lose my information.  Well, I wasn't calling the phone number and my computer is fine after I restarted. Rather annoyed that after logging into AARP and trying to complete the calculator I ran into this issue.  Also found the page I was on before the subsequent bogus message to be confusing

I am a US citizen who lives on a fixed income in Jalisco,Mexico. I receive SSDIand live from month to month. Every year there is a form 7162 that needs to befilled and returned to social security, in my case since I live in Mexico we sendthe forms to the FBU federal benefits unit.These offices only communicate through email. On February 2nd, I received an email that my benefits were suspended. Along with the email was the Form 7162, that the FBU offices shouldhave sent me weeks ago. Instead they waited until I was suspended and then sentme the forms. I returned the form yesterday to the local US consulate office.This form does have to be filled out every year, but the time of the year differseach year, so knowing exactly when its due is something that the office wanted me to guess.Instead they haven't emailed me anything since November of 2023until they tell me my benefits are suspended. Now because of their error, I facea financial emergency. There are no outreach programs in Mexico f