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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RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 19, 2014
Merrill Lynch hires director of gerontology

Cynthia Hutchins takes on newly created role to help advisers deal with aging clients.

Another reason to file and suspend Social Security benefits
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 19, 2014
Another reason to file and suspend Social Security benefits

There is flexibility in lump-sum payouts – but you must be alive to collect them

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 14, 2014
Married couples can split Social Security-claiming strategies

But each spouse can chose only one tactic.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 10, 2014
Three great reasons to file and suspend Social Security benefits

Claiming strategy triggers benefits for children, spouses and protects your own.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 10, 2014
FICA takes bigger bite out of high earners' paychecks in 2014

About 10 million Americans will fork over a bigger slice of their paycheck to Social Security and Medicare taxes this year but Social Security retirement benefits increase by just 1.5%.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 10, 2014
File-and-suspend strategy prompts more questions

Married couples can't double-dip and claim spousal benefits, too.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 08, 2014
Check out resources to become a Social Security expert

Trying to get up to speed on Social Security-claiming strategies? Check out these go-to resources.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 08, 2014
Field testing the retroactive Social Security file-and-suspend strategy

I love when readers with whom I consult about tricky Social Security-claiming strategies report back to me with results.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 06, 2014
Taxes to take bigger bite out of high earners' paychecks in 2014

About 10 million Americans will fork over a bigger slice of their paycheck to Social Security and Medicare taxes this year

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 03, 2014
How married couples can squeeze the most out of Social Security

You have to be creative and be careful of a couple key rules.