Dear Rusty: I hope we haven’t made a mistake! My wife just applied for her Social Security benefit. She was born in May 1962, and the estimated amount of her benefit is $1,280/month. Her work income last year was $5,616; however, mine was about $65,000. I do not plan on taking my benefit until the age of 70 in July of 2027.
“Deer season starts next week.” Dad was sitting at the kitchen table with the .30-06 lying on the oilcloth, its bolt below the trigger guard, can of gun oil beside them. The cleaning cloth was in his hand, he was reaching for the ramrod. I had no clue that it was October or that hunting was on his mind. Not much.
People make fun of old guys, asking, Why do they wear their belt so close to the armpits? I am an elderly gentleman, not to mention an old guy, not to put too fine a point on it. Life’s experiences and empirical evidence may serve us well in this case, and since you have not lived long enough to observe it yourself, I will tell you why.
Dear Rusty: I am a married woman, at my full retirement age, and the primary earner in my marriage. How do I know if I should take my Social Security now or wait till 70? I will lose quite a bit if I take it now. How will it affect my taxes if I take it now while still working a full-time job?
Dear Rusty: Please help. I served from 1964 to 1966 in the US Army. I have been trying to contact Social Security in order to request extra benefits for veterans. The telephone is a recording, and you never get to speak to anyone. The web site at www.ssa.gov is useless to me. I went to the SS office and there was a huge line outdoors in the freezing cold. I am disabled and cannot stand on a line in this cold. Please advise me about my options. Financially, is it worth the trouble?
One of the most bittersweet moments in life is when you have good news and no one to call.
I am neither the most affable nor the most sociable person in the county, but people interest me. I find that if I show an inkling of that interest to a near-stranger, or even a complete stranger, an interesting conversation is likely to ensue.
