101 Social Security & Medicare Pitfalls...and How to Avoid Them

Title: 101 Social Security & Medicare Pitfalls...and How to Avoid Them

Article Snip: "...The 2025-2026 Edition: Updated with crucial law changes affecting Social Security & Medicare in 2025 and 2026

Is a single, overlooked deadline or a simple misunderstanding about the rules costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in retirement?

Navigating Social Security and Medicare can feel like walking through a minefield. The rules are complex, the advice from friends is often outdated, and one wrong step can lead to lifelong penalties, permanently reduced benefits, and unexpected healthcare costs that deplete your hard-earned savings.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. 101 Social Security & Medicare Pitfalls is the clear, practical, and up-to-date roadmap every American needs to secure the retirement they deserve. This guide demystifies the system and empowers you to sidestep the common traps that catch even the most diligent planners.

Thoroughly updated for 2025 to include major law changes! This edition contains essential, must-have information on the monumental changes that make other guides obsolete:

The Social Security Fairness Act: Understand what the full repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) means for public servants and claim the full, unreduced benefits you've rightfully earned.
The Inflation Reduction Act: Learn how to navigate the new, simpler Medicare Part D structure with its $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket drug costs, replacing the confusing "donut hole" and saving you money.

Inside this essential guide, you will discover how to avoid costly mistakes, including:

Pitfall #6: Missing your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period and facing permanent, lifelong late penalties.
Pitfall #22: Claiming Social Security benefits too early and permanently slashing your monthly income.
Pitfall #69: Mistakenly believing Medicare covers long-term care—a misconception that can devastate your savings.
Pitfall #15: Getting hit with an unexpected tax bill on your Social Security benefits.
Pitfall #47: Missing your one-time window for Medigap guaranteed issue rights and being denied coverage later.
Pitfall #25: Failing to coordinate spousal benefits for maximum household income and survivor protection.
..and 95 more costly pitfalls..."

Reference: Amazon
101 Social Security & Medicare Pitfalls...and How to Avoid Them,Amazon,Reading,Medicare,

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Social Security Fairness Act Passes U.S. House, Heads for Senate Approval

Snippet of Article: "...The answer now lies in the U.S. Senate. On Tuesday, the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would repeal both the WEP and GPO that reduce or even eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of workers..."

Source: www.texasaft.org

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An Update on the Social Security Fairness Act | H.R. 82, S. 597

Title: An Update on the Social Security Fairness Act

Article Snip: "..pass the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82, S. 597). This bill would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which are parts of Social Security law that unfairly reduce, or sometimes eliminate, Social Security benefits for millions of federal annuitants. The GPO and WEP penalize CSRS retirees that meet the requirements for Social Security benefits and have paid their fair share into the program. To address this inequity, 324 members of the House and 61 members of the Senate from both parties now support this legislation. ...."

Reference: apwu.org
Social Security Fairness Act, "H.R. 82, S. 597",

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I paid my 40 quarters, why is my social security benefit reduced?

Title: I paid my 40 quarters, why is my social security benefit reduced?

Article Snip: "...While your annuity cannot be reduced, any Social Security benefit you are entitled to will be affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision. The WEP reduces that benefit if you have fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. For a full explanation of the WEP and how it will affect you, go to https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf . ..."

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Social Security,Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP),

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Two Social Security Provisions that Can Impact CSRS Retirees

Title: Two Social Security Provisions that Can Impact CSRS Retirees

Article Snip: "...While they won’t affect your CSRS annuity, they may cut into – or even eliminate – any Social Security benefit you may otherwise be entitled to. They are the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. ..."

Reference: www.fedweek.com
Government Pension Offset (GPO),Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP),

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Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) Update

Title: Postal Retirees Deserve Better: Urge Congress to Pass H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act

Article Snip: "...The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal the WEP, which penalizes many APWU retirees who receive a civil service pension but paid into Social Security in previous employment. It also repeals the GPO, which unfairly penalizes many spouses and widows with prior employment pensions. This vote means that we are closer than ever to removing the GPO and WEP. ..."

Reference: apwu.org
Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), Government Pension Offset (GPO), WEP Update,CSRS,Age-Based Discrimination in COLA application (FERS vs CSRS),