I've been either working for the Social Security Administration or writing a column about Social Security issues for about 40 years now. And I would have bet money that in all that time, I've been asked every question in the book. In fact, I don't...

Regular readers of this column know that I don't like to get into Medicare issues. I retired in 2005 following a 32 year career with the Social Security Administration.

And despite what many people think, Medicare is not run by SSA. It is managed...

I find it rather curious that baby boomers, many of whom, in their youth, decried the accumulation of wealth and the materialism of their parents, are the first generation in history to regard Social Security not as the safety net it was intended ...

Q: I want to apply for Social Security benefits on my ex-husband's record. I called Social Security to ask how to do this. The lady on the phone told me they can't even talk to me until I have original copies of the marriage certificate and ...

Sometimes I am just blown away by the reaction I get to a column. I write what I think is the most innocuous and non-controversial answer to someone's question about Social Security benefits -- and then, out of the blue, my email inbox is flooded ...

Well, dear readers: do you want the good news ... or the bad news? Let me get the bad news out of the way first. I've been working on a new fact sheet for my readers (that's actually the good news - but more about that in a minute); and as part of...