retirement planning

• Retirement Planning

Social Security Administration tries to balance online, in-person services

A push to expand online services at the Social Security Administration is meeting resistance from a federal union that represents thousands of agency employees and groups that fear the effort will minimize face-to-face help for seniors and the disabled.

By John Fritze

Apr 30, 2015

• Maryland

Ramesh Ponnuru: Taxes won't fix Social Security

• Maryland

Legal Matters: Are annuities taxable?

Are annuities taxable? Yes, no and maybe. The tax rules vary, based on the type of annuity, how you take the money and how it is funded.

• Politics

Gulf widens between Hogan and Democrats

The rift between Gov. Larry Hogan and lawmakers over the state budget widened further Thursday, with the governor and House Speaker Michael E. Busch digging in their heels and both sides making provocative moves and statements.

• Opinion

Pensioners can't afford pricey travel

Pension manager gets government-funded overseas travel while those who paid into the fund get considerably less

• Maryland

Commissioners prepare for agency budget meetings

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners have completed their overview of staff's recommended Fiscal Year 2016 budget, just in time for its meetings with county agencies beginning this Thursday.

• Maryland

Richard Rothschild: Tax breaks should apply to all

• Baltimore City

City pension officials spend nearly $100,000 on trips

Baltimore's spending panel agreed Wednesday to send a city pension director to London for a week — the latest of nearly $100,000 in travel expenses for top pension officials since 2013.

• Maryland

Commissioners oppose state tax breaks for military, first responders, elderly

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners is unified in opposition to several proposed tax cuts in the General Assembly that would affect the retirement incomes of military personnel, first responders, the elderly, the disabled and property taxes for small business.

• Baltimore City Paper

Military retirees have it pretty good, so why does Gov. Hogan want to cut their taxes?

• Opinion

Retirement insecurity

Susan Reimer on the retirement crisis in Maryland

By Susan Reimer

Feb 27, 2015

• Opinion

Protecting retirement assets

Wall Street brokers and others who offer retirement investments to average Americans should be held to 'fiduciary standard'

• Harford

Harford council to vote on moving $8.3 million for retiree health benefits

Harford County government wants to reserve another $8.3 million toward paying post-employment benefits, mainly health insurance, for future retirees.

• Maryland

Support repeal of Windfall Elimination Provision [Letter]

• Politics

Republicans seeks broader changes on Social Security

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans pressed the Obama administration Wednesday for a plan to address the long-term health of Social Security as lawmakers began to debate a more immediate shortfall in a program that benefits millions of disabled Americans.

By John Fritze

Feb 11, 2015

• Retirement Planning

Disability enrollment declines amid funding debate

The number of people receiving disability insurance from the Social Security Administration declined last year for the first time since 1983, a reduction that comes as Congress is wrestling with a deadline to fund the program or risk cutting benefits to millions.

By John Fritze

Feb 7, 2015

• Retirement Planning

After years of cuts, Social Security to extend office hours

Facing an aging population and steady growth in disability claims, the Social Security Administration said Thursday it will expand hours at neighborhood offices across the country — reversing a years-long reduction in service that has frustrated the public and lawmakers.

By John Fritze

Jan 22, 2015

• Business

Underfunded state pension system will be challenge for Hogan team

As Gov.-elect Larry Hogan and his team begin tackling the state's budget, they will soon turn their attention to one of its most pernicious challenges: the underfunded employee pension system.

By Carrie Wells

Jan 20, 2015

• Opinion

The importance of Rawlings-Blake's pension reform

Progress in shoring up police-fire pension would be slower without the mayor's 2010 reforms.

• Baltimore City

City police, fire pension system's health improves

Riding a bull market, Baltimore's Fire and Police Retirement System made $313 million from investments in 2014 — marking the first time in a decade its long-term fiscal health improved.

By Luke Broadwater

Dec 10, 2014

• Maryland

Experts recommend organization, planning for tax season

With the holidays approaching, reviewing investment strategies and preparing for tax season is the last thing on many people's minds. At a free session Friday, a local financial adviser and an accountant will share tips for getting organized and planning ahead at the end of the year.

• Retirement

New IRA would target small businesses without employer-sponsored retirement plans

Small business owners often balk at the expense and liability of offering their employees a retirement plan, few financial firms offer plans to small businesses and rarely do employees without an employer-sponsored plan sign up for one on their own.

• Obituaries

Jacob M. "Jack" Schmulowitz, SSA division chief

Jacob M. "Jack" Schmulowitz, a retired Social Security Administration division chief, died Wednesday at Sinai Hospital of kidney failure. He was 85.

• Opinion

Financial gerontology: a tonic for retirees

Susan Reimer on financial gerontology

By Susan Reimer

Oct 8, 2014

• Howard County

East Columbia 50+ offers caregiver support group

events at howard county senior centers

• Politics

Hogan vows to eliminate taxes on pensions

Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan told residents of a retirement community Tuesday night that he wants to eliminate all state income taxes on retirement income before the end of his administration.

• Opinion

Pension fight shows city can't be trusted to honor its commitments [Letter]

Pension fight shows city can't be trusted to honor its commitments

• Opinion

What Baltimore did to police and fire pensions is a crime [Letter]

What Baltimore did to its police and fire pensions is a crime.

• Editorial

Pension pandering [Editorial]

Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan's proposal to exempt police pensions from Maryland income tax is a mistake.

• Opinion

End the city pension fight [Editorial]

Baltimore's police and fire unions should recognize that a settlement over pension issues, not more litigation, is in their members' best interest.

• Politics

Federal court upholds mayor's pension overhaul

• Harford

Length of Service Awards Program for volunteers good as is - for now [Editorial]

If the fire service begins to go in the same direction as the ambulance service did, there will have to be wholesale re-thinking of the financial arrangement the county has with the system.

• Opinion

Medicare's pleasant surprise [Editorial]

Reduced hospital costs and Obamacare cost-cutting have helped Medicare but it and other entitlement programs still need help

• Opinion

Privatization not the answer to Social Security's computer woes [Letter]

Experienced federal employees can manage complex computer system but they are in short supply thanks to cutbacks

• Harford

Changes requested to Harford volunteer firemen's pension program

Harford County government and the county's volunteer fire and EMS companies are discussing proposed changes to a county-funded retirement program for the volunteer firemen, including lowering age of eligibility to receive benefits.

• Maryland

Legal Matters: Social Security benefits after divorce

• Retirement Planning

Five questions for financial gerontologist Cyndi Hutchins

Meet Cyndi Hutchins, Bank of America Merrill Lynch's director of financial gerontology – one of the country's first in such a position at a financial management firm.

• Opinion

O'Malley's fiscal legacy [Editorial]

What are likely to be the final bond ratings of the Gov. Martin O'Malley's term offer a validation of his fiscal policies.

• Maryland

Candidates discuss funding Carroll County Public Schools

• Opinion

No easy answers for pension downturn [Letter]

Fixing the broken system for financing retirement requires leadership at local and national level

• Baltimore City Paper

What Conspiracy?

• Baltimore City Paper

Union tosses monkey wrench in mayor's "Change to Grow" plan

• Baltimore City Paper

Anti-social Security

• Baltimore City Paper

Mortgage mods could be a win-win-lose

• Maryland

Sykesville to join state retirement and pension system

• Maryland

Sykesville swears in new police chief, adopts FY15 budget

• Pensions

City wants 2,000 school employees to start paying into pensions

The city government is requiring nearly 2,000 school employees to begin contributing to the municipal retirement system, a plan met with resistance by school officials who say the district won't be able to meet the July 1 deadline.

• Maryland

Krome honored for outstanding service

• Maryland

Krome honored for outstanding service

• Maryland

Krome honored for outstanding service