Social Security 101

Starred review from December 1, 2016

Mill's (Economics 101) extraordinarily detailed guide offers a highly organized handbook in plain English to the Social Security program, which, he writes, "74 percent of single people and 52 percent of married couples" will depend on "for more than half of their income in retirement." He provides an enjoyable discussion of the idea of retirement and gives a surprisingly readable history lesson on the creation of Social Security and other government programs that surround it, including Medicare, Medicaid, and disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This book walks readers through the many (and sometimes Byzantine) rules and regulations governing the Social Security application and eligibility process, laying out different scenarios and situations for retirees at different income levels and life stages. Throughout, it features pull-out vignettes with interesting stories and data points, and keeps current with references to recent newsworthy events occurring in the last year. VERDICT Readers approaching retirement age and fans of Jane Bryant Quinn's How To Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide will appreciate this exhaustively researched and highly useful reference.--Doug Diesenhaus, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

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