Mary Beth Franklin

Mary Beth Franklin is a Contributing Editor at Investment News specializing in Social Security, Medicare and Retirement income. She has been a financial journalist for more than 40 years, covering everything from federal budget and tax policies as a Capitol Hill reporter for United Press International to consumer finances as a writer and editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Mary Beth became a Certified Financial Planner in 2015 and is an in-demand speaker at conferences for financial professionals as well as a frequent guest on numerous radio and television programs. She is the author of “Maximizing Your Social Security Retirement Benefits” and host of the Retirement Repair Shop podcast. In her free time, Mary Beth likes to read, garden, ski and play the piano. She received a BA in Communications from American University in 1975 where she continues to mentor journalism students.

Mary Beth Franklin
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Secret weapon for maxing out Social Security? Your spouse
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING SEP 06, 2012
Secret weapon for maxing out Social Security? Your spouse

With the right elections, married couples can dramatically up their payouts

How you can collect on your ex
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING SEP 04, 2012
How you can collect on your ex

Answers to some questions about Social Security claiming strategies for divorced spouses.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING AUG 31, 2012
Mary Beth Franklin: The secrets of successful savers

New survey reveals how prudent planners go about reaching their retirement goals

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING AUG 28, 2012
It's not too late to boost Social Security benefits

Can someone who collects reduced retirement benefits early, say at 62, suspend his benefits later and still earn delayed retirement credits? The answer is yes.

Are retirees better off than we think? Data says yes
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING AUG 20, 2012
Are retirees better off than we think? Data says yes

Agency bulletin notes that key government report doesn't count IRA, 401k distributions.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS AUG 12, 2012
Playing with money

Teresa Ghilarducci, an ardent critic of the 401(k) system, created quite a buzz with a recent opinion piece, “Our Ridiculous Approach to Retirement.”

Mary Beth Franklin: Clients short on understanding of longevity risk
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING AUG 08, 2012
Mary Beth Franklin: Clients short on understanding of longevity risk

Average life expectancy merely an average, not a timetable

Older clients' young children a Social Security windfall
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING AUG 08, 2012
Older clients' young children a Social Security windfall

Parents can trigger benefits for kids, delay collecting their own

Mary Beth Franklin: One surefire way to sabotage a retirement plan
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING AUG 06, 2012
Mary Beth Franklin: One surefire way to sabotage a retirement plan

Understimate healthcare costs for clients and watch things unravel

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 20, 2012
Lump-sum offers present risks and opportunities