More than half of elderly married couples and nearly 75 percent single retirees depend on Social Security for the majority of their income in retirement. “Women disproportionately rely on Social Security in retirement,” said Nancy Altman, co-director of Social Security Works, which advocates for the expansion of the program. In …

As retirees and their financial advisors grapple with the prospect of another year with flat Social Security income, the presidential candidates have had little to say about the program at the last two debates. But Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton spelled out their positions in an AARP Bulletin on June …

Even on bread-and-butter fiscal issues like Social Security and Medicare, the candidates managed to trade insults. Clinton suggested that Trump would avoid paying taxes if she was able to raise the maximum taxable cap on annual earnings, which is $118,500 this year and $127,200 next year, for Social Security payroll …

Hey, big saver! The IRS won’t increase the maximum amount you can squirrel away in your retirement plan next year. That means that in 2017, employees can defer up to $18,000 in their 401(k) plan — the same amount as this year. The limit also applies to 403(b) plans, most …

Like all tax-advantaged accounts, HSAs have restrictions on how much you can contribute. For 2016, you and your employer can contribute up to $3,350 for individuals and $6,750 for families. In 2017, the limit rises to $3,400 for individuals, but the family limit stays at $6,750. Account holders age 55 …

While a $331,200 nest egg in a 401(k) plan over 15 years is impressive, it is not the norm. Last year, the median retirement plan balance for workers age 45 to 54 was just $43,700, according to an analysis by the Vanguard Group. However, longer time on the job does …

A growing number of people dream of retiring in their 40s. They have joined Reddit’s Financial Independence subreddit, they frequently comment on Early Retirement Extreme’s forums, and they follow the scrappy and thrifty examples set by popular personal finance bloggers, such as the Frugalwoods and Mr. Money Mustache. Members of …

Couples’ claiming choices are dwindling. The once-popular “file and suspend” strategy went away this spring. Another, called a “restricted application,” is now only available if at least one partner was age 62 before January 2, 2016. But you still have the option to claim your own benefit, or collect an …

Instead of splitting your deferrals across all of the available funds in your plan, think about your approach toward investing: Are you a do-it-yourselfer who will research and monitor your chosen funds? Or do you prefer to be hands off? “If you don’t know what you want to do, then …

If the Fed raises interest rates in December by a quarter-point, don’t expect to see a major boost for savings accounts and new certificates of deposit. At the moment, the most generous savings accounts are offering interest rates in the neighborhood of 1 percent, while rates on a one-year CD …