Mastering Retirement Journal

Football Season is Over….Retirement Lessons Still Important

football on green turf

3-minute read

For those of you who are familiar with American Football, you might be familiar with a term known as the “red zone”. If you aren’t as familiar with football and have never heard the term, it’s defined as when the team on offense enters the opponent’s 20-yard line or closer to the end zone. In short, it’s when a team gets into scoring range. The red zone is a critical time for a Football team on offense or defense as the outcome in those plays have an outsized impact on the game, and possibly even the season.

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What People Get Wrong Claiming Social Security

money and social security cards

3-minute read

Social Security has been around since 1935, when Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into existence. Despite being around for almost 100 years, there still isn’t an easy answer for people on when they should claim for maximum optimization. Everyone’s situation is different, and there is no “one show fits all” approach, but there is one mindset you need to have when deciding to claim your Social Security that will better shape your decision than any other calculation. That mindset? Looking at your full picture.
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Dodging the Medicare Premium Penalty

image of a medicare card

2-minute read

Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMAA) are considered to be the thorn in your side when receiving Medicare benefits. In it’s basic form, IRMAA dictates your Medicare premiums depending on your modified adjusted gross income two years prior. Put another way, the more you make, the more you pay, but with a lag. Many people get quite frustrated knowing they’re paying an increased premium for the same coverage; let alone the additional cost it brings to their financial situation.
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