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Ask Rusty: I’m in Poor Health & Need to Know my SS Options
Dear Rusty: I plan to stop working soon. My health is not good. I am 66 years old, born in June 1959, so my full retirement age is 66 years and 10 months. My wife passed away in March 2024, and she was collecting Social Security (SS) benefits when she died. I have no dependent […]
VIEWPOINT: Hat Tip to the Economic Data
There is a lot to say about where the economy stands against the backdrop of the Federal Reserve’s dual-mandate goals. I’ll start with what we’ve learned from the data in recent months and how it relates to maximum employment and price stability. The GDP data oscillated quite a bit in the first half of this
Ask Rusty: How Do I Apply for Social Security and Receive My Payments?
Dear Rusty: I’m ready to apply for my Social Security (SS) benefits, and I’m aware of how my benefits are calculated. What I would like to know about is how the application process actually works and how my benefits are received Signed: Ready to Collect Dear Ready to Collect: Essentially, you have two main options
VIEWPOINT: All the Stars We Cannot See
I would like to] discuss a favorite topic of mine — and one that economists have obsessed over for longer than a century. Of course, I am talking about r-star, the natural rate of interest. What’s fascinating about variables like r-star is that while they are unobservable, they go to the heart of monetary theory
VIEWPOINT: N.Y.’s Hospital Quality Remains Among the Worst in the U.S.
The federal government recently updated its hospital quality ratings, and New York once again fell near the bottom. Among 132 New York hospitals that received a rating, the average grade was 2.5 out of 5 stars, which ranked 48th out of the 50 states. That marked a slight improvement from last year, when New York
Ask Rusty: I’m Still Confused about Medicare Part A and Part B Enrollment
Dear Rusty: I’m age 64 and still working full time, and plan to continue working at least until I’m 70 — it’s a good job, and I enjoy it. My job comes with health insurance, so I don’t really need additional coverage, but I understand I will be required to sign up for Medicare Part
VIEWPOINT: Trump aims to backstop domestic health-care pharmaceutical supply chain through new EO
We have seen plainly what happens when disasters interrupt domestic health-care supply chains: from N-95 masks to saline, our health-care system has struggled in the face of hurricanes and a pandemic, as just two recent examples, to maintain supplies essential to patient safety and care delivery. Cognizant of this history, on Aug.13, 2025, President Donald
VIEWPOINT: Why join LinkedIn in 2025?
LinkedIn isn’t going anywhere. If other social-networking platforms emerge, even those catering to B2B professionals, it’s unlikely that any will displace LinkedIn’s network size — already more than 1 billion members strong around the world. As a platform for corporate leaders to put a human face to the ideas and philosophies that guide their brands,
VIEWPOINT: The Trump Private Equity Order: What Plan Fiduciaries Need to Know Now
On Aug. 7, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that may result in an expansion in the types of holdings common in 401(k), 403(b) and other defined-contribution plans. Generally, a plan fiduciary’s decision to offer a designated investment alternative is subject to fiduciary duties enumerated in section 404 of the Employee Retirement Income
Ask Rusty: Can My Wife Get Her Full Spousal Benefit at 62, or Must She Wait?
Dear Rusty: I’m age 64 and my wife is 62. If my wife starts her own Social Security (SS) benefit now, she will receive about $700 on her own at 62. I will retire next year and claim SS when I am 65. The Social Security Administration (SSA) says my wife can draw $1,100 under
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