Social Security For Dummies

Title Page --
Table of Contents --
Introduction --
About This Book --
Foolish Assumptions --
Icons Used in This Book --
Beyond the Book --
Where to Go from Here --
Part 1: Getting Started with Social Security --
Chapter 1: What Social Security Is and Why You Need It --
Understanding What Social Security Means for You --
Appraising the Value of Social Security --
Understanding How You Pay for Social Security --
Getting the Most out of Your Social Security Benefits --
Getting in Touch with the Social Security Administration --
Chapter 2: A Breakdown of Benefits --
Bringing Security to Old Age: Retirement Benefits --
Surviving the Loss of a Breadwinner --
Paying Your Bills When You Can't Work: Disability Benefits --
When the Need Is Great: Supplemental Security Income --
Chapter 3: Deciding When to Start Collecting Retirement Benefits --
Paying Attention to Your Full Retirement Age --
Looking at Life Expectancy When You Claim Benefits --
Considering Your Spouse When You Claim Social Security --
Recognizing the Potential Payoff of Working Later in Life --
Putting It All Together: The Right Time to Begin Collecting Benefits --
Chapter 4: Protecting Your Number and Securing Your Card --
Getting a Social Security Number --
Managing Your Social Security Card --
Protecting Yourself by Protecting Your Number --
Part 2: Taking the Plunge: Filing for Social Security --
Chapter 5: Signing Up for Benefits --
When to Apply for Social Security Benefits --
Where to Apply for Social Security Benefits --
How to Apply for Social Security Benefits --
How You Get Your Money: The Check Is Not in the Mail --
Chapter 6: Determining How Much You've Earned --
Your Social Security Statement --
Social Security Calculators --
Chapter 7: Navigating the System --
Being a Smart Consumer of Social Security --
Getting the Answers and Help You Need. Life Happens: Keeping the Social Security Administration in the Loop --
Setting the (Earnings) Record Straight --
Halting Your Retirement Benefits --
Recovering a Lost or Stolen Social Security Check --
Getting Dinged for an Overpayment --
Getting Social Security in a Global Economy --
Registering a Complaint with the Social Security Administration --
Chapter 8: When You and Social Security Disagree: The Appeals Process --
Reconsideration: Taking Your First Step --
Going to an Administrative Law Judge to Solve Your Problem --
Knowing What to Expect from the Appeals Council --
Taking Your Claim to Federal Court --
Part 3: Who Benefits and When --
Chapter 9: Spousal Benefits: Watching Out for Each Other --
Who Qualifies and Who Doesn't --
How Much You Can Expect to Get --
How to Maximize Your Benefits --
Chapter 10: Family Benefits: Who Gets What --
Defining Who's in the Family --
Identifying the Benefits Family Members Are Eligible For --
Looking at How Having a "Child in Care" May Affect Your Own Benefits --
Understanding the Family Maximum --
Counting on Kids' Benefits When Parents Live Apart --
Managing Benefits on Behalf of a Child --
Chapter 11: When You Can't Work: Social Security Disability Benefits --
The Two Types of Disability Benefits --
How Social Security Defines Disability --
How to Make Your Case --
What to Do If You Get Turned Down --
What Happens to Your Benefit If You Can Go Back to Work --
Part 4: Social Security and Your Future --
Chapter 12: Enrolling in Medicare --
Understanding the ABCs (and D) of Medicare --
Qualifying for Medicare --
Signing Up for Medicare --
Paying Premiums --
Getting Hit with Late Fees --
Buying Extra Insurance: Medigap --
Getting Financial Help If You Need It --
Chapter 13: Working in "Retirement" --
The Pros and Cons of Not Retiring at Retirement Age. The Earnings Test: How Your Payments Are Calculated When You Work --
When You Go Back to Work after Retirement --
Special Considerations for the Self-Employed --
Uncle Sam Giveth and Taketh Away: How Benefits Are Taxed --
Chapter 14: Shaping a Financial Future You Can Live With --
Envisioning Your Life with Social Security --
Preparing for Life on Social Security --
Part 5: The Part of Tens --
Chapter 15: Ten Myths about Social Security --
Myth: Social Security Is a Ponzi Scheme --
Myth: Your Social Security Number Has a Racial Code in It --
Myth: Members of Congress Don't Pay into the System --
Myth: Social Security Is Going Broke --
Myth: The Social Security Trust Funds Are Worthless --
Myth: I'd Be Better Off Investing in Stocks --
Myth: Undocumented Immigrants Barrage Social Security with Illegal Claims --
Myth: When Social Security Started, People Didn't Even Live to 65 --
Myth: Congress Keeps Pushing Benefits Higher Than Intended --
Myth: Older Americans Are Greedy Geezers Who Don't Need All Their Social Security --
Chapter 16: Ten Reasons Young People Should Care about Social Security --
If You're Lucky, You'll Be Old Someday --
Your Parents Will Be Old Even Sooner --
You're Paying into the System Now --
You Benefit When Social Security Keeps People out of Poverty --
You May Need Benefits Sooner Than You Think --
Social Security Ensures That Time Doesn't Eat Away at Your Benefit --
Social Security Benefits Are One Thing You Can Hang Your Hat On --
The System Works --
The Alternatives Are Worse --
Life Is Risky --
Chapter 17: Ten Choices Facing the Country about the Future of Social Security --
Whether to Increase the Earnings Base --
Whether to Cover More Workers --
Whether to Raise Taxes --
Whether to Cut Benefits --
Whether to Modify the Inflation Formula --
Whether to Raise the Full Retirement Age --
How to Treat Women More Fairly. Whether to Divert People's Taxes to Private Accounts --
Whether to Create a Minimum Benefit --
Whether to Give a Bonus for Longevity --
Part 6: Appendixes --
Appendix A: Glossary --
Appendix B: Resources --
Social Security --
Medicare --
AARP --
Other Sources --
Appendix C: Strengthening Social Security --
About the Author --
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End User License Agreement.