ArcaMax

Q: My mother told me she remembers a time when women had to "live in sin" (those are her words) to avoid losing Social Security benefits. She couldn't elaborate, but she thinks some senior women still have to do that today. Do you know what she is talking about?

A: Yes, I know exactly what she is talking about. It has to do with the payment of ...Read more

Reader Alert: Medicare Advantage and standalone Medicare Part D plans with specific 2025 plan changes and new prescription drug formulary updates should be released on the Medicare.gov website on Oct.1. This column was written before changes were announced.

Hello Toni:

Thank you for teaching us the value of finding the right Medicare option...Read more

I've learned over the years that when it comes to Social Security retirement benefit calculations, there are three kinds of people. There are those who just want to know what their benefit is going to be and don't really care too much about how it's calculated. Then there are those people who want a general idea of how their benefit will be ...Read more

For years, I've been hearing silly rumors about undocumented immigrants and Social Security. And those rumors seem to have multiplied many times in this election season. Here are several examples.

Q: I've heard on the news that illegal aliens are getting $2,000 per month from Social Security. This is an outrage. I am a born and raised American....Read more

Dear Toni,

My sister Sally has been qualified for Social Security Disability for the past 24 months, due to having heart issues, and is receiving her Social Security check. Last week, she received a letter saying that she will be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B beginning Nov. 1. She is 64 and her individual health insurance plan ends when ...Read more

Sometimes I'll include something in a column about a broader topic that I think is just a small, almost insignificant piece of the puzzle. But then that nugget ends up confusing many people, causing them to write to me for clarification.

That happened recently when I wrote about the measly $255 one-time benefit that Social Security pays when ...Read more

Dear Toni,

My Medicare starts Oct. 1 and I received my first bill, due on Sept. 25, about a week ago. This bill is for 3 months (Oct. 1 - Dec. 31) and is over $525. I currently have more than $10,000 on my Health Saving Account (HSA) debit card through my past employer, and I was wondering if Medicare will accept payments made with an HSA ...Read more

I've commented many times before that Social Security is a global phenomenon. Almost every country on the planet has a Social Security system in place for its citizens. (And many countries had social insurance plans long before we got around to implementing our program in 1935.)

In our global economy, it is not uncommon for people to have lived...Read more

Reader Alert: A recent “Social Security Data Breach” has affected 2.9 billion people worldwide. Be cautious if you believe this event could have affected you.

Hello Toni:

I was watching the news and discovered that my Social Security number and personal information could have been stolen through the Social Security Data Breach. This ...Read more

There is probably nothing I am asked more often than some version of this question: "When should I file for my Social Security?" But as I've said repeatedly in this column, I am not a financial planner. So I really can't advise you about the best time to start your Social Security benefits. I can tell you that there is no magic or secret formula...Read more