Lifestyle

Dear Heloise: Years ago, when I was growing up on an Iowa farm, my hair would dry out because I was outside so much of the time. We also had what peop...

DEAR RUSTY: I am writing to get advice on the optimal time to sign up for Social Security benefits. I am a 64-year-old female, and my birthdate is Aug...

DEAR RUSTY: When I look at my earnings on my Social Security account, I see that in 1955 and 1956 have no earnings. I was in the U.S. Navy as a first ...

DEAR RUSTY: My wife passed away in September 2025 at age 64. We had been married for 43 years and started collecting benefits when I turned 62 and she...

DEAR RUSTY: I think we should have a Social Security baseline of $2,500 for each person. When I retire, my Social Security benefit will not be enough ...

Dear Heloise: I, too, have trouble with the very tiny print on labels. I found a trick that is a lifesaver for this problem. I simply use my phone to ...

DEAR ABBY: I recently hosted a family gathering that included my adult cousin and his wife, who live locally, and my son, daughter-in-law and their so...

DEAR RUSTY: In a previous column, you wrote about people who filed for Social Security late in life. I am currently incarcerated and will be filing fo...

As the old adage goes, “hindsight is the best foresight” and nowhere is that more evident than with some we counsel regarding Social Security. We regu...

DEAR RUSTY: The Social Security Administration says I didn’t pay enough into my Social Security account, despite being a business owner and paying tax...

Probably the most common fallacy about SS spouse benefits is the belief that a spouse always gets 50% (half) of their marital partner’s monthly Social...

DEAR ABBY: I have a next-door neighbor who is retired and takes care of his wife, who has dementia. He's a nice enough person, but he has no personal ...

DEAR RUSTY: I began collecting benefits at age 72 and am now 78. Since that time, I have continued to work and have contributed more than $40,000 to S...

Dear Heloise: Mattresses keep getting thicker and more expensive, and they require special deep-pocket sheets on top of this. Are they actually more c...

At the close of World War II in Europe in 1945, the Americans, British, Soviets and French partitioned Germany in zones of occupation — with each Alli...

DEAR RUSTY: I will be 62 in two years. I plan on signing up for SS at age 62, but I have heard there are details that are important when signing up. W...

DEAR RUSTY: I am 67 and 9 months old, collecting a modest SS survivor benefit with plans to collect my own much larger benefit at age 70. I was confid...

DEAR RUSTY: I turn 65 this November. Someone told me I need to set up a Social Security account at least three months ahead of time before applying fo...

DEAR RUSTY: I will be 65 in October and I am working full-time. My goal is to work until age 67, which is my full retirement age, or until age 70. I h...