Retirement & Social Security Archives

a man laying in a bed with a cast on his arm

The VA just added hypertension, MGUS, male breast cancer, urethral cancer, and paraurethral cancer to the PACT Act presumptive list — veterans with those diagnoses skip the exposure-proof step

Warren Cohen5 hours ago3 hours ago08 mins

Veterans diagnosed with hypertension, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), male breast cancer, urethral cancer, or cancer of the paraurethral glands can now file for service-connected benefits without assembling individual proof of toxic exposure during deployment. The Department of Veterans Affairs added all five conditions to its PACT Act presumptive list, shifting the burden of…

Mature bald bearded hipster man using phone at home in the dark

Scammers now text Social Security recipients fake “account verification” links — SSA never sends texts asking you to verify, log in, or reset benefits

David Keller8 hours ago3 hours ago012 mins

Social Security recipients across the country are receiving text messages that appear to come from the federal government, urging them to click a link and “verify” their accounts. The messages look official, sometimes referencing benefit amounts or account problems, and they ask for sensitive details like Social Security numbers and dates of birth. But the…

The Saver’s Match starts in 2027 — but only workers earning under $20,500 single or $41,000 joint qualify for the full $1,000 federal retirement-contribution match

Warren Cohen1 day ago1 day ago09 mins

Millions of lower-income workers who set aside even small amounts for retirement will soon be eligible for a direct federal deposit into their retirement accounts, but the income thresholds are tight enough to shut out a large share of the workforce. Starting with taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026, the federal government will match…

CMS comments close June 15 on a rule forcing Medicare drug plans to approve prior authorization within 72 hours — 24 hours for urgent requests

Warren Cohen1 day ago1 day ago09 mins

Millions of people enrolled in Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, and federal marketplace plans could see drug prior authorization decisions arrive days faster under a proposed federal rule now open for public comment until June 15, 2026. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wants to require health plans to approve or deny standard drug…

The 2026 SSDI work limit just climbed to $1,690 a month — earn more than that and Social Security can deny your disability claim before reviewing your medical record

Warren Cohen1 day ago1 day ago07 mins

Workers filing for Social Security Disability Insurance in 2026 face a higher earnings ceiling that doubles as a tripwire: anyone earning more than $1,690 a month can be turned away at the door, with no medical evidence ever reviewed. The Social Security Administration raised the Substantial Gainful Activity threshold for non-blind disabled individuals to that…

A non-working spouse can claim 50% of the higher earner’s Social Security benefit at full retirement age — adding about $1,251 a month for single-career couples

David Keller1 day ago1 day ago09 mins

Couples who relied on a single income during their working years stand to gain a meaningful bump in retirement cash flow through a Social Security rule that many households overlook. A non-working spouse can collect up to half of the higher earner’s Social Security benefit at full retirement age, a provision that, based on current…

The Labor Department’s safe harbor to add crypto and private equity to default 401(k) lineups closes public comments tonight — before moving to a final OMB review

Warren Cohen2 days ago2 days ago013 mins

At midnight on June 1, 2026, the public comment window closes on a Labor Department proposal that would let employers place private equity and cryptocurrency funds inside the default investment lineups of 401(k) plans. These are the portfolios workers land in when they never make an active choice, and they hold the bulk of retirement…

Inherited Roth IRAs must clear within 10 years of the original owner’s death — but unlike inherited traditional IRAs, the heir owes zero federal income tax on any of the distributions

David Keller2 days ago2 days ago09 mins

Heirs who inherit a Roth IRA face the same 10-year withdrawal deadline that applies to inherited traditional accounts, but they keep every dollar they pull out. That split between a fixed timeline and zero federal income tax creates a planning window unlike anything else in the retirement system. For families sitting on large inherited Roth…

CMS just opened 14 days for comment on a rule forcing Medicare drug plans to approve prior authorization within 72 hours — 24 hours urgent — before comments close June 15

Warren Cohen2 days ago2 days ago014 mins

A cancer patient waiting on chemotherapy approval. A diabetic whose insulin switch sits in a queue. A psychiatrist watching a patient destabilize while paperwork bounces between a clinic and an insurer’s review desk. These are not hypotheticals. According to the American Medical Association’s 2024 Prior Authorization Physician Survey, 94% of physicians say prior authorization delays…

USA Social security cards laid on dollar bills

The Social Security earnings test claws back $1 for every $2 of wages above $23,400 for early claimers — and the docked dollars return as larger checks once the worker reaches 67

Warren Cohen2 days ago2 days ago017 mins

Linda, a 63-year-old administrative coordinator in Ohio earning $60,000 a year, opened her bank statement last January and found three months of Social Security checks missing. She had claimed benefits at 62, expecting $1,600 a month to supplement her paycheck. Instead, the Social Security Administration withheld $18,300 over the course of the year. She was…

Category: Retirement & Social Security

The VA just added hypertension, MGUS, male breast cancer, urethral cancer, and paraurethral cancer to the PACT Act presumptive list — veterans with those diagnoses skip the exposure-proof step

The Saver’s Match starts in 2027 — but only workers earning under $20,500 single or $41,000 joint qualify for the full $1,000 federal retirement-contribution match

CMS comments close June 15 on a rule forcing Medicare drug plans to approve prior authorization within 72 hours — 24 hours for urgent requests

The Labor Department’s safe harbor to add crypto and private equity to default 401(k) lineups closes public comments tonight — before moving to a final OMB review

Inherited Roth IRAs must clear within 10 years of the original owner’s death — but unlike inherited traditional IRAs, the heir owes zero federal income tax on any of the distributions

CMS just opened 14 days for comment on a rule forcing Medicare drug plans to approve prior authorization within 72 hours — 24 hours urgent — before comments close June 15

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