Both the Texas House and Senate have passed a mid-decade redistricting bill that positions the GOP to pick up five additional congressional seats next year. Passage came after House Democrats ended their quorum-breaking walkout while still vowing to pursue legal challenges.
Dear Rusty: I’m 64 and my wife is 62. If my wife starts her own benefit now, she will get about $700 on her own at 62. I will retire next year and claim Social Security when I am 65. SSA says my wife can draw $1,100 under spousal benefits, so if she claims now will they give her spousal benefits of $1,100, or does she need to wait until I claim at age 65 to get the $1,100? Signed: Trying to Understand Dear Trying: If your wife is now 62, then her full retirement age (FRA) for Social Security purposes is age 67, and if she claims any SS benefit before reaching her FRA, the amount will be reduced for early claiming. If your wife were to claim now (before you), she would get only her own SS retirement amount (the $700 amount), and that would be a reduction of about 30% from what she would get if she waited until her FRA to claim.
As football season kicks off, it’s hard not to notice the similarities between sports and politics. Both depend on loyal fans, strategy on the field, and rules that everyone must respect.
As an old newspaper scribe with worn out Weejuns, I’ve written a time or three about the national deficit, the absolute evilness that it has become. Pardon me for dragging my soapbox out again, but our politicians (and yes, whether we want to claim them or not, they are ours!) have shamelessly and recklessly spent more than they bring in year after year after year after year . . .