Taxes, Social Security & retirement
Lawrence Strauss covers taxes, Social Security, and retirement for The Money Front. He follows the deadlines, benefit rules, and IRS changes most likely to affect what older Americans keep, and explains each one in plain, sourced language.
Latest from this writer
Second-Quarter Estimated Taxes Are Due June 15
The second 2026 estimated tax payment is due Monday, June 15. Who owes it, the safe-harbor rules that avoid a penalty, and…
401(k) Rollovers: Why the Direct Route Beats a Check
Take a 401(k) rollover as a check and 20 percent vanishes to withholding, with 60 days to make it whole. How a…
Credit Report Errors: The Dispute Process That Works
Federal law puts a 30-day clock on credit report disputes and makes the process free. The steps that get errors fixed, and…
What the 2026 Trustees Report Means for Your Benefits
The 2026 Trustees Report projects the retirement fund runs short in late 2032, with 78 percent of benefits still payable. What that…
The IRS Set Its Interest Rates for the Third Quarter
Starting July 1, the IRS will charge 7 percent on unpaid taxes, up from 6 percent this quarter. What the new rate…
One Stop for Every Recall: How to Set Up Alerts
Six federal agencies announce recalls on one shared site, recalls.gov. Here is how to check it and set up free email alerts…
Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare: The Trade-Offs
Original Medicare buys freedom to see any doctor; Medicare Advantage bundles extras inside a network. Here are the trade-offs that actually decide…
Medical Bills and Your Taxes: The 7.5 Percent Rule
The IRS lets you deduct medical costs above 7.5 percent of your income, but only if you itemize. Here is how the…
After a Data Breach: The First Five Moves to Make
Got a breach notice? The order of operations matters. Five moves, from freezing your credit to an IRS IP PIN, that close…
Claiming Social Security at 62, 67 or 70: The Monthly Math
Claim at 62 and your Social Security check shrinks about 30 percent for life. Wait to 70 and it grows 24 percent.…
Choosing a Tax Preparer: The Credentials That Count
Anyone can hang out a tax-prep shingle. Here is what CPA, EA and other credentials actually mean, how to verify a preparer,…
Grandparent Scams: The Emergency Call That Is Not Real
The panicked call from a grandchild in trouble follows a script. Here is how the family emergency scam works, the tells, and…