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Money & The Economy
Will Social Security Run Out of Money Soon?
Dear Rusty: I’m concerned about Social Security running out of funding, since I rely on it for my income and I’m…
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Money & The Economy
Can my spouse file for Social Security at 63 and then get half of mine when I claim?
Dear Rusty: My spouse is 63 and I am 65. I am planning to take my Social Security benefits at age…
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Money & The Economy
Why Doesn’t My Social Security Record Show All My Military Earnings?
Dear Rusty: When I look at my earnings on my Social Security account, I see that in 1955 and 1956 have…
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Money & The Economy
When Should My Wife Claim Social Security?
Dear Rusty: We could use guidance on optimum dates for my spouse to begin taking Social Security (SS). She doesn’t have…
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Money & The Economy
Why Aren’t There Individual Social Security Accounts?
Dear Rusty: Regarding Social Security’s financial issues, three people contributing to Social Security for every one beneficiary sounds to me like…
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Money & The Economy
Why Can’t I get a Lump Sum Social Security Death Benefit from my Wife?
Dear Rusty: My wife passed away in September 2025 at age 64. We had been married for 43 years and started…
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Money & The Economy
Help! SSA Says I’m Not Eligible for Benefits
Dear Rusty: Help!! The Social Security Administration says I didn’t pay enough into my Social Security account, despite being a business…
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Money & The Economy
About Social Security’s “First Year Rule” and Withdrawing from SS
Dear Rusty: I am 63 years old, and about to apply for my Social Security benefits. I am self-employed but only…
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Money & The Economy
Social Security: The Mystery of Spousal Benefits
The Riddle: Why are my Spouse Benefits less than half? Probably the most common fallacy about SS spouse benefits is…
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Money & The Economy
Should I collect SS now or wait two years until age 70?
Dear Rusty: I am 67 and 9 months old, collecting a modest SS survivor benefit with plans to collect my own…
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Money & The Economy
I Lost Money as a Widow and Ex-spouse by Not Knowing the Rules on Social Security
Dear Rusty: I just found out, as someone who was collecting widow’s benefits on my second husband (a very small amount)…
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Money & The Economy
My Friend is 65; shouldn’t she be exempt from Medicare payroll taxes?
Dear Rusty: My girlfriend is 65 and she just enrolled in Medicare. She is still working full time as a nurse,…
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Money & The Economy
Am I Entitled to More Social Security as a Veteran?
Dear Rusty: I served in the U.S. Army from July 1964 to July 1967. Am I eligible for a higher Social…
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Money & The Economy
I’m on SS Disability; Should I Switch to Regular Social Security?
Dear Rusty: Should I take my Social Security now at age 62, or wait till I am 65? I’ve been collecting…
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Money & The Economy
Is Social Security Really a “good deal?”
Dear Rusty: You’ve said in the past that most people recoup their SS contributions within five years of starting benefits, thus…
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