Work & Retirement

The Social Security Administration announces that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 1.3 percent in 2021. This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2021. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2020. ...

Should I stay or should I go? This weighty question is the preoccupation of many a Northeast Ohio snowbird who customarily vacates the Great Lakes region during the cold and dreary winter months. But it has become quite a quandary. On one hand, the preliminary winter forecast calls for more snowfall and colder temps this winter throughout the Great Lakes, adding to the impetus to fly South sooner and stay longer. On the other hand, the ongoing pandemic sees hotspots often affecting retirement communities in Southern states, causing locals to consider sheltering in place this winter. What to do? ...

There are many online sources for Social Security information, but you need to make sure you’re getting the right information. By using www.ssa.gov, you know that what you’re reading and watching is approved by Social Security experts and specifically created for you. Here are three resources where you can find valuable information about your Social Security benefits. ...

Base your decision about when to apply for benefits on your individual and family circumstances. Would it be better for you to start getting benefits early with a smaller monthly amount for more years, or wait for a larger monthly payment over a shorter timeframe? The answer is personal and depends on several factors. Read on for the details. ...

Change happens. We get it. The most convenient way to change your direct deposit information with us is by creating a my Social Security account online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Once you create your account, you can update your bank information without leaving the comfort of your home.  ...

While many people think they know (or should know) exactly what they want to do in career/life, very few actually know what they want to do at first; just ask them. And even people who are sure of themselves and convinced they know what they want to do often wind up in a place they never expected. We need to change the conversation from “What are you going to do now?” to “It’s okay not to know… as long as you are willing to find out.”  ...

With more people learning online, we would like to highlight some of the digital resources we have for educators. Chances are, a student will know someone who receives retirement or disability benefits. This could be a way to relate our many programs to a new audience. ...

A home is most peoples’ single biggest asset, and it holds so much meaning and memories. If a single person enters a nursing home with a house but no money, many people don’t know that the new regulations say that the house is a countable asset, and the person won’t qualify for assistance. ...