Your Retirement Benefits Checklist
You've worked hard for a long time, paying contributions into your employer's retirement plan and this country's social system throughout your working years. You've earned the benefits of these programs; they're paid to you because you labored for them. And if you're an older American facing retirement and a fixed income, there's a good chance that you may need all of the financial support that these programs are designed to provide. What's more, you're entitled to it. Listed below are a number of major issues that you'll need to consider as you move closer and closer to retirement.
If you're age 55 or older and not yet retired, you'll need to:
- Find out at what age you'll become eligible for Social Security retirement benefits.
- Learn how much your Social Security retirement benefits will be reduced if you retire early, or increased if you retire later.
- Determine how much income you can earn without affecting your Social Security benefits.
- See whether you can claim civil service retirement benefits if you've ever worked for the federal, state, or local government or any public agency or institution.
- Check the rules of your private pension plan (if you worked for a private company that had a pension plan, or if you belonged to any union), including whether your pension will be affected by your Social Security benefits.
If you're within six months of your 65th birthday, you'll need to:
- Obtain a current estimate of what you'll receive in retirement and dependents benefits from Social Security; your civil service retirement system; any private-company pension plan that you're entitled to; and, if you're a veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Be ready to claim your Medicare coverage as soon as you become eligible.
- Look into ways to supplement your Medicare coverage, including Medigap insurance, a Medicare Managed Care Plan (also known as Part C), and a Medicare Drug Coverage Plan (Part D).
- Check your eligibility to receive medical-bill assistance from Medicaid if you have very few assets and a low income.
If you're 65 or older and retired, you'll need to:
