Social Security

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bill Bengel, 84, a Michigan retiree who stopped working 24 years ago. After spending most of his career at General Motors, Bengel retired and lived the next two decades at a lake house in northern Michigan and in Florida. However, after developing a vascular disease, he…

AARP is sounding the alarm on deteriorating service at Social Security and is calling on the agency to rethink the coming changes to identity verification that could lead to even more frustration for seniors.In a letter to Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek, Nancy A. LeaMond — AARP's executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer…

Most 24-year-olds aren't thinking too deeply about retirement. With decades of work ahead of them, most are focused on getting their footing in the workplace — not on the financial needs and life goals of their 65-year-old selves.The same was true for me. Sure, I enrolled in a 401(k) and started to build an emergency…

Linda Lara always wanted to become a homeowner. But being a single mother, taking care of her elderly parents, and helping raise her three granddaughters made it impossible to ever cobble together enough for a downpayment.Nearly six years ago, Lara was lucky enough to get off the waitlist at a subsidized senior housing development in…

Seniors are calling Social Security in spades and showing up en masse to field offices, as many fret about the future of their benefits.Some are concerned about new identity measures, and others fear that their benefits could be affected. Taken together, this is creating a new problem: People who are worried about delays are straining…

Lines at your local Social Security office are about to get a lot longer — if it survives a wave of closures brought on by funding cuts under the Trump administration.And the Social Security field offices that do stay open are in for a flood of visitors after the short-staffed government agency limited phone service…

Howard Lutnick is facing backlash for dismissing concerns over missed Social Security checks.A former Social Security commissioner called his comments "cavalier disregard" and "utter ignorance."Lutnick's comments are a focal point at rallies that protest the shuttering of SSA field offices.Howard Lutnick, the billionaire Secretary of Commerce, is being pummeled online over his comments on Thursday…

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said complaints about missing benefits checks indicate fraud.A federal judge blocked DOGE's access to personal Social Security records amid fraud claims.More than 7 million Americans receive 90% of their income from Social Security, based on SSA data.As the staff cuts at the Social Security Administration leave monthly benefit payments to tens of millions…

Older Americans are facing tough choices amid market and economic uncertainty.The stock market's decline and policy changes have heightened some fears of financial instability.Some retirees remain optimistic, while others fear policy impacts on their retirement income.Many older Americans are at a crossroads: Should they brave the market and hope it bounces back, or rethink their…

Shelley Janek, 70, is looking for a job because Social Security isn't enough to cover her essentials.Janek moved from California to Wyoming to save money on housing and other expenses.BI has heard from roughly 4,000 older Americans, many of whom are living on Social Security without savings.Shelley Janek, 70, hoped to retire with a strong…