The Social Security Administration (SSA) is currently undergoing significant staffing reductions. Reduced staffing will cause longer processing times and may make it more difficult to obtain in-person assistance. Here is how you can best navigate the SSA as it downsizes its workforce.

Use SSA.gov Website for Online Services

Most SSA requests and questions can be handled online. To get started, go to SSA.gov/onlineservices where you can create an online “my Social Security” account. This account allows you to view your latest statement and earnings history, apply for retirement, disability and Medicare benefits, check the status of an application or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas) and print a benefit verification letter. The SSA’s website also has a wealth of information and includes answers to frequently asked questions that you can access at SSA.gov/faqs.

Phone Assistance

If you cannot conduct your Social Security business online or need extra help, you can receive assistance over the phone by calling your nearby field office (see SSA.gov/locator for contact information) or by calling the SSA national number at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. When you call, there are many automated service options that you can use 24 hours a day without waiting. If you need to speak to a representative, waiting times are typically shorter early in the morning (between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.) or later in the afternoon (between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.). You may also experience shorter waiting times later in the week (Wednesday to Friday) and later in the month.

If you need to visit your nearby SSA office, it is best to call ahead and make an appointment as walk-ins often have much longer waiting times. To make an appointment call 800-772-1213 or contact your local SSA office.

Planning and Patience

When communicating with the SSA, it is important to be patient and prepare in advance. With the SSA staff reductions, delays and longer waiting times will be inevitable. If you are planning to start drawing your Social Security benefits soon, it is best to apply as early as possible. You can apply for benefits up to four months before you expect to receive benefits. Applying as early as possible can help ensure the benefits are available when needed.

Keep in mind that the SSA recently announced that new applicants who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service will be required to visit an SSA field office in person to complete the verification process. The verification procedures could add additional time for those applying for benefits. This change will also apply to unverified existing recipients who want to change their direct deposit information.

If you have concerns regarding staffing reductions, you may reach out to your Congressional representatives to communicate the importance of safeguarding and prioritizing Social Security. To find your Congress members’ contact information, go to Congress.gov/members/find-your-member.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Many traditional IRA owners with larger balances take their RMD during the months of October, November and December. Because many individuals with larger IRAs do not need IRA distributions throughout the year to pay for living expenses, they often delay an RMD until the end of the year. This allows the IRA balance to benefit from additional tax-free growth during the year.

Fortunately, the IRA charitable rollover will count towards the donor's RMD. Although RMDs are not required until age 73, the IRA charitable rollover can be used by any donor once they reach age 70½. The IRS term for an IRA charitable rollover is a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) which is also the term commonly used by IRA custodians.

There are five donor profiles for IRA charitable rollover gifts. The first are the convenience donors who find it a simple method for an end of year gift. The second is the generous donor who wants to give more than the 60% of adjusted gross income (AGI) deduction limit for cash gifts. The third is a major donor who may be a generous individual looking for a favorable opportunity to make a major gift. The fourth donor is the Social Security recipient looking to reduce taxes with an IRA charitable rollover gift. Finally, a donor who takes the standard deduction can also benefit from an IRA charitable rollover gift.

Convenience Donor

Many IRA owners wait until the final months of the year to take their IRA withdrawals. As the individual approaches the end of the year, he or she will need to make decisions related to their RMD. If an IRA owner is actively making gifts to charity during the year, then using a QCD is a good opportunity to make a gift.

Convenience donors may contact their IRA custodians to arrange for an IRA charitable rollover. There is no charitable income tax deduction, but also no inclusion in federal taxable income. It is a simple and convenient way to help their favorite charity.

Generous Donor

Some generous individuals already donate up to 60% of their AGI which is the maximum limit allowed by the IRS for deduction of cash gifts each year. Any gifts over this limit may be carried forward and deducted over the following five years. Some generous donors may also have a large IRA and live at a moderate expense level and may not need their entire IRA.

If there is a desire to give more, they can give up to 60% of adjusted gross income from their cash assets and make "over and above" gifts from an IRA. Some generous donors may in effect give nearly 100% of their income per year through this method. Since the IRA charitable rollover is not included in taxable income, it will have no impact on their regular income and other charitable gifts.

Major Donor

As the rules have continually become more favorable for IRAs and required withdrawals have been reduced, IRAs balances are likely to keep growing. There are occasional market dips, but the long-term trend is positive and IRAs will continue to increase in value.

For many professionals and business owners, the IRA may become most of the estate. In these cases, it may be desirable to do "asset balancing" to keep future RMDs at manageable levels. To accomplish this goal, the major donor can give up to the maximum QCD amount in 2025 of $108,000 from his or her IRA. This has the advantage of "balancing" the estate assets.

In addition, there may be income tax benefits. If the donor were to take the IRA distribution into his or her own personal income, there are several types of exemptions that are phased out at higher income levels. Thus, it may be preferable to make the gift directly from an IRA rather than making a charitable gift from regular income.

Social Security Donor

Social Security is subject to two levels of taxation. For donors who have income in excess of the first level, 50% of Social Security is taxed. For donors with income in excess of the second level, up to 85% of Social Security income may be subject to tax.

Withdrawing any amount from an IRA will potentially cause the amount of the donor’s social security benefits that are taxable to increase from 50% to 85%. Even if the withdrawn amount is given to charity and then deducted, there may still be increased tax on the donor’s income. Thus, by making the transfer directly to charity, many Social Security recipients will save income taxes.

Standard Deduction Donor

Many seniors do not have a mortgage and have medical deductions that are less than 7.5% of AGI. Thus, they may not have a sufficient level of deductions to itemize and choose instead to use the standard deduction.

If a donor withdraws $1,000 from his or her IRA and then gives it to charity, there is $1,000 of increased income with no offsetting charitable deduction, since the standard deduction is taken. Therefore, it may be preferable for all donors who take a standard deduction to make IRA charitable rollover gifts directly to charity and avoid the additional income tax on their RMD.

As auto insurance rates across the country continue to rise, drivers may face an even bigger increase once they reach their 70s, as insurers in some states take into account age-related changes in driving ability and the higher likelihood of physical injury in collision. Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce your premiums. To find out what discounts may be available to you, contact your auto insurer and inquire about these options.

Increase your deductible: Paying a higher deductible could lead to significant savings on your premiums. For example, raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000 can bring your annual premiums by 15% to 20% on average. Be sure you have sufficient savings set aside to cover the higher deductible if needed.

Adjust your coverage: Consult with your insurance provider to determine if adjusting coverage could help lower your premium while still providing sufficient protection. If you are driving an older vehicle that is paid off, you may want to consider removing collision or comprehensive coverage if your premium is more than 10% of the car’s value. Collision insurance covers damage to your car if you are involved in a crash or if you are the victim of a hit-and-run. Comprehensive insurance covers damage caused by acts of nature (such as storm damage), vandalism, theft or fire. If you are scaling back to liability coverage, make sure you have enough to pay for damages out-of-pocket if you are in an accident or your car sustains damage due to weather, theft or another non-collision event.

Take a defensive driving course: Some insurance companies offer defensive driving discounts – between 5% and 15% – to drivers who complete a refresher course to brush up on their driving skills. Courses are available online through organizations like AARP, the American Automobile Association and the National Safety Council. The cost of defensive driving courses can vary by state and course type, typically ranging from $15 to $150.

Report your mileage: Some insurers offer discounts to customers who drive limited miles each year, which is usually beneficial to retirees who drive less because they no longer commute to work every day. These low-mileage discounts usually kick in when your annual milage drops below 7,000 miles, though exact thresholds vary by insurance provider.

Bundle policies: If your auto insurance policy is issued by a different company from the one insuring your home, call each insurer and ask if bundling the policies would be cheaper.

Sign up for driver monitoring: Some insurers offer discounts based on how and when you use your car. They will monitor things like your acceleration, braking habits, driving speeds and phone use, which are monitored via a smartphone app or a device that plugs into your car’s diagnostic port. Drivers can be rewarded anywhere from 10% to 30% for safe driving. In addition, many insurance providers also offer discounts to drivers who have not had any violations or accidents for three or more years.

Ask about membership discounts: Many insurers offer discounts through professional associations, workers’ unions, large employers or membership organizations. You may also qualify for savings based on the college you attended or the fraternity or sorority you belonged to.

Improve your credit: You may be able to lower your car insurance premium by paying your bills on time and reducing the amount of debt you carry. Insurers evaluate at how customers manage credit to gauge risk set premiums. Lower rates are given to those with good credit scores, typically around 700 or above. However, insurers in some states ban or limit the use of credit scores to determine premiums.

Comparison shop: To find out if your current premium is competitive with other insurers, consider using online insurance marketplaces that allow you to compare quotes from multiple providers. You can also work with an independent insurance agent who represents several insurance agencies to help you compare.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Some taxpayers may also qualify for penalty relief. There is a First Time Abate administrative waiver for taxpayers who are in good standing with the IRS.

1. History of Tax Filing — The first requirement is that you have filed for the past three years and there were no penalties assessed. If you filed for years 2021, 2022 and 2023 and did not have any penalties, you may qualify for First Time Abate relief.
2. Additional Requirements — Taxpayers also may have to pass additional tests. Taxpayers cannot have four or more Failure to Deposit penalty waiver codes. They may not have a Daily Delinquency Penalty or an event-based filing requirement.
3. First Time Abate Example — Assume that Taxpayer did not fully pay taxes for year 2024. Taxpayer called the IRS and requested penalty relief. The IRS gave Taxpayer a First Time Abate relief up to the date of the request. Six months later, Taxpayer made full payment on the taxes and called again. The IRS then granted another First Time Abate relief for the additional accrued penalty due from April 15 until that full payment.

The IRS emphasizes that if you do not qualify for the First Time Abate relief, there is also a possibility for relief based on your facts and circumstances. If the IRS believes that you are acting in good faith and have financial challenges, it may grant Reasonable Cause relief.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that it is still possible to file after the April deadline and receive a refund. For the 2021 tax year, an estimated one million taxpayers did not file, but they would have qualified for a refundable tax credit, most commonly the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Taxpayers with lower incomes should check with an advisor about potentially filing to receive a refundable tax credit. It is important to note that refunds may be delayed if more recent returns have not been filed, and any refund could be used to cover unpaid taxes, past-due child support or federal debts.

If you file for this credit, you can use the "Where’s My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov to check on the status of your refund. You will need your Social Security Number, your filing status and the exact dollar amount of your anticipated refund to use this tool.

This is a very common concern for the 22 million solo agers across the United States who do not have adult children or other family members they can depend on to watch out for their wellbeing. Here are some tips and resources that can help.

Choosing Helpers & Decision Makers

While older adults usually name children or spouses to make decisions on their behalf, solo agers will most often choose a sibling, niece or nephew, or a trusted friend or neighbor. Whoever you choose, be sure to talk to them first to make sure they are willing to assume the responsibility.

If, however, you do not have anyone you feel comfortable asking, or who is willing to take on that responsibility, you can hire a professional. One of the best resources is an aging life care manager. These are trained professionals in the area of geriatric care who often have backgrounds in nursing or social work and can serve as your emergency contact, oversee your care and even act as your executor. They can also connect you with legal and financial professionals in your area to help manage your affairs.

Aging life care managers typically charge anywhere from $100 to $300 an hour, depending on their location and experience. You can search online for an expert near you or visit your local council on aging.

If hiring a life care manager is not financially feasible, there are other steps to take to prepare for future needs. Start by creating a basic estate plan including a power of attorney, advance directive and a will. Having these estate planning documents prepared ahead of time helps ensure your wishes are carried out if you become incapacitated and when you pass away.

To help you prepare these documents, your best option is to hire an experienced estate planning attorney, which can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars depending on location, needs and experience. In some cases, the attorney may also be able to act as your power of attorney or executor, or help you locate a professional in your area.

There are also services available to help with organizing and preparing bill payments with your approval. Alternatively, you can work with a daily money manager who, in addition to paying bills, can handle tasks like balancing your checkbook and organizing tax information.

It is also a good idea to meet with a financial advisor to help figure out what services and living arrangements you can afford and what steps you can take to ensure that your financial resources last your lifetime. If you do not have an advisor, you can find a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner through searching online.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.