Social Security Articles

Guides to Social Security benefit calculations, claiming decisions, survivor benefits, taxes, and using SSA tools.

Survivor benefits: How Social Security works for spouses Social Security
• 18 min read

Survivor benefits: How Social Security works for spouses

Key takeaways Many people learn how Social Security survivor benefits work in the weeks after a spouse dies, when the…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
Understanding the “tax torpedo” in Social Security Social Security
• 16 min read

Understanding the “tax torpedo” in Social Security

Key takeaways Provisional income is the IRS figure that determines how much of a Social Security benefit gets taxed in…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
A beginner’s guide to navigating the Social Security website Social Security
• 7 min read

A beginner’s guide to navigating the Social Security website

Key takeaways The Social Security Administration website, ssa.gov, has a record of each dollar in covered earnings and is the…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
What’s the difference between average vs. full retirement age? Social Security
• 13 min read

What’s the difference between average vs. full retirement age?

Key takeaways Two numbers shape nearly every Social Security decision, and they are regularly confused with each other. One describes…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
How is Social Security calculated? The 35-year rule & beyond Social Security
• 16 min read

How is Social Security calculated? The 35-year rule & beyond

Key takeaways Most people know that Social Security retirement benefits are tied to how long and how much a person…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez