Topic: Social Security

Unfortunately, many people decide to retire without really thinking through the decision, and that can have dire circumstances.

Some play the grandparent, some claim to cure illnesses that conventional medicine can’t. Others offer ways to make a quick buck to augment your savings.

New age increases have been proposed in the federal government's continuing effort to keep the retirement system on sound economic footing.

Military families worry about plenty of things, but their retirement plan usually isn't one of them – until now.

Though Social Security benefits have long been a successful federal safety net for millions of Americans, some lawmakers and policy analysts believe the only way to save it from inevitable bankruptcy is to privatize the system.

If you like doing business online, have a knack for sites like Facebook, and want to meet new people, sharing-for-money may be an intriguing part of your retirement plan.

U.S. hospitals are ripping out wall-mounted toilets and replacing them with floor models to better support obese patients. The Federal Transit Administration wants buses to be tested for the impact of heavier riders on steering and braking. Cars are burning nearly a billion gallons of gasoline more a year than if passengers weighed what they did in 1960.

While saving for retirement is a traditional approach, other methods are often needed to fund nest eggs. For many, there's nothing better than the family home — especially if the mortgage is paid off.

Uncertainty about making the right retirement moves is rife among the vast baby boomer generation. With 10,000 boomers turning 65 every day for the next 18 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, one thing that isn’t being downsized is concern about where and when to retire.

The U.S. government's retirement benefits programs will run out of money three years earlier than previously thought, its trustees said on Monday, increasing the pressure on lawmakers to reform the federal safety net for millions of Americans.

MetLife, the largest life insurer in the United States, will pay $500 million to settle a multi-state investigation into claims payment practices.

Reducing government deficits Mitt Romney's way would mean less money for health care for the poor and disabled and big cuts to nuts-and-bolts functions such as food inspection, border security and education.

Saving for retirement isn't enough. Protecting your nest egg is essential to secure your financial future over the long-term.

Many Americans may not be retiring as soon as they had once planned. For a growing number of Americans, retirement equals financial instability and uneasiness. Of course, some -- the frugal, affluent and fortunate -- can still enjoy the fruits of their labor around the traditional retirement age. Whatever your case, take our quiz and see how much you know about retirement and savings.

A financial safety net for older Americans, Social Security was established in 1935. Eight decades later, all Americans pay into the system, with Social Security as the largest source of income for citizens age 65 and older.