Latest news with #work
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
If You're Collecting Social Security Early, Don't Get a Job Unless You Read This First
Claiming Social Security early has consequences for your ability to work. If you earn too much money from a job, you could find your benefits reduced. While you eventually get bigger payments if you lose benefits temporarily, your short-term financial security could suffer. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Many retirees are taking a nontraditional approach to leaving the workforce. In fact, a growing number of seniors are not giving up work for good when they retire, but are instead taking on part-time jobs or even returning to work full time after quitting their careers and claiming their Social Security. There are some benefits to working after retiring, including the ability to preserve your savings, as well as the ability to continue to enjoy the social connections and mental challenges that working provides. However, if you have claimed Social Security already and are thinking about getting a job, you need to be aware that this decision could have an impact on your monthly benefits. Here's how working could affect Social Security, so you aren't caught off guard by changes that you could see in your checks. The key thing to know about working while on Social Security is that if you have reached your full retirement age already, you can work as much as you want to without it affecting your Social Security benefits. Your FRA depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1960 or after, FRA is 67, while for those born earlier, it's between 65 and 67. If you have not reached FRA and you earn too much money, you will end up seeing your Social Security checks reduced or may even see them disappear entirely. Specifically: If you are not going to hit FRA all year, you can earn up to $23,400 in 2025. Once you've hit that threshold, then $1 is deducted from your benefits for every $2 earned above it. If you will reach FRA sometime during the year but haven't yet, you can earn up to $62,160 before you begin losing a portion of your benefits. Once you've reached this limit, then you lose $1 for every $3 earned above it. The Social Security Administration will withhold entire checks based on the reduction in benefits that can result from working. If you were counting on having income from both your job and from Social Security, this can create a major financial burden for you. While losing some of your Social Security checks can be a problem if you were counting on that money, the good news is that you will eventually get back the forgone funds later. It just will happen slowly over time. When you don't receive Social Security benefits because you work too much, you are credited back for the early filing penalty that was previously applied. Early filing penalties reduce benefits for each month you claim Social Security before your FRA. The penalties equal 5/9 of 1% for the first 36 months you've claimed early and 5/12 of 1% per month for any additional month. So, if you claimed a year early, for example, your benefits would be reduced by 6.7%. If you ended up claiming benefits and then working, though, and you didn't receive a Social Security check for six months out of the 12 that your early benefits were supposed to come, then you would be credited back six months of early filing penalties. This happens when you do reach FRA and your benefit jumps up accordingly. Of course, since your monthly payments only increase by a small amount, it takes time for the future checks you're getting to make up for the income you missed out on by working while collecting benefits. But at least you get the money back in the end. Of course, this doesn't help in the short term if your paycheck causes you to lose income you were counting on -- so you need to be aware of these rules before you start working while on Social Security, as you don't want to be left unprepared and facing a huge financial surprise. If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. If You're Collecting Social Security Early, Don't Get a Job Unless You Read This First was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Your daily horoscope: May 31, 2025
The year ahead could be good and it could even be great but it certainly won't be boring. Take events as they come and strive to see the opportunities in each and every situation. Above all, believe you deserve the very best that life has to offer. Make it your business this weekend to clear the air of any bad feelings at home and at work – then everyone can start as friends again come Monday morning. Forget what other people said about you and invite them to forget what you said about them! Not everyone can be as rational in their thinking as you, so make allowances over the next 48 hours for some of the stupid statements that friends and family members come out with. Treat them like you would treat a child, with amused indulgence. The fact that your heart is not really in what others expect of you is of no importance. The only thing that matters is that you go out of your way to make them happy – because if they are happy they won't make life difficult for you. The fact that you helped out a friend in a crisis does not mean they will help you out in a similar way. If they say they are not in a position to assist you don't argue about it. The planets indicate that could work in your favour. If some of the people you love get excitable this weekend make it your business to calm them down by explaining that whatever it is that got them upset it means nothing in the greater scheme of things. Help them take a more philosophical attitude to life. A task you thought was going to be simple could turn out to be one of the hardest things you have ever done. That will make it all the more satisfying when you make a resounding success of it, which of course you will. If you find yourself in the spotlight this weekend don't try to escape it – instead, put on a show and make sure everyone knows what a hugely talented Libra you are. It's not always enjoyable being in the public eye but it could be if you embrace it. Someone who can use their influence to help your career will move into your life over the next 48 hours and you must not let them move out again without taking advantage of what they can offer. Don't hide your ambition, flaunt it instead! There is no point reacting to criticism if it comes from people you don't respect. Whatever it is they say about you this weekend just treat it as a joke and let them know you won't be changing your ways, not for them and not for anyone. The more other people try to wind you up this weekend the more you must call on your powers of self-control. The only reason they are trying to upset you is because they know you will outshine them. Stay calm and refuse to take the bait. If you are beginning to have doubts about what you are doing then it might be a smart move to make a tactical, if temporary, retreat so you can think it through from a safer position. A sight adjustment to your plans is probably all that's needed. Make an effort to see a dispute of some kind from the point of view of the people who oppose you. It can be all too easy to label others 'the enemy' just because you have contrasting ideas. Difference is what makes the world go around. Discover more about yourself at
Digital Trends
6 days ago
- Digital Trends
These 3 free web apps helped me stop procrastinating
I don't know if I would call myself a big procrastinator, but I'm not immune to it — none of us really are. Those days when you just don't feel like doing anything much are almost inevitable, but unfortunately, the busy world we live in and our rapid work schedules don't account for such days. Whether you feel like it or not, work still needs to get done, one way or another. At times, when my schedule's packed and I'm exhausted, I find myself procrastinating instead of getting work done. Instead of getting mad at myself, I found three web apps that helped me get more productive when I needed it most. Recommended Videos Todoist Todoist is a super simple web app that, if I'm going to be honest, no one truly needs. Its core functionality can be replaced by a piece of paper or things like Google Calendar. After all, it's exactly what it sounds like — a to-do list. Although I said that no one needs Todoist, that doesn't mean that using it didn't completely transform my work routines. These days, I never go a single work day without Todoist, and I haven't paid a penny for it. (Putting it that way makes me feel a bit guilty. I very well might try the paid version — the free app has been nothing short of wonderful.) Todoist lets you plan out your day and your week. You can assign little tasks to yourself, shift them around from day to day, and assign them different priority levels. You can also set them up to only be due at a certain time of day. You can choose to either focus on one day at a time or take a look at your upcoming tasks, browsing through one week at a time. Each task can receive a label or a filter, making it easier to find certain types. You can duplicate tasks, although I find that to be the only chore-like part of using the app; it takes a bit of time and isn't super intuitive. Todoist also offers integration with various extensions, such as Google Calendar, making for a more seamless experience. There's even an AI assistant (of course) which I haven't really needed to try. I kind of love the barebones aspect of Todoist, and the simplicity that it provides. Todoist keeps me accountable. If I end the day with a task (or five) staring me in the face, you can bet I feel a little more motivated to finish them ASAP. The app can also send you email reminders, which, again, adds to the whole accountability aspect of it. Could I reasonably replace Todoist with a planner and a pen? Yes. Would I want to? No way. I love Todoist, and I will keep recommending it to anyone who cares to listen. Pomofocus Those who have ever struggled with staying productive probably know of the Pomodoro method. It's a time management technique that helps you break up your work into smaller, hyper-focused intervals. Between each interval, you get a short break, at which point you can freely indulge in all the mindless scrolling/chatting/watching YouTube that you probably want to indulge in outside of your break. The usual intervals are 25 minutes of work and five minutes of relaxation. Again, the Pomodoro method is nothing new, but Pomofocus makes it simple and easy to follow (or customize). You can start the timer without any annoying sign-up process; just press start and begin your work. Pomofocus lets you pick between short and long breaks (which I find helpful if I need a bit more than five minutes, but it's also a bit too easy to lose focus if your break lasts too long during these intervals, at least for me). I like that you can assign yourself tasks with an estimate of how many 'pomodoros' each will take, then work through them in the app. Pomofocus doesn't force you to do anything. Your Pomodoro timer can be paused or skipped at any given time, so it does mostly come down to self-discipline. I enjoy it for similar reasons as Todoist: Simplicity and ease of access. It's not going to force you to get your work done, though. I've recommended Pomofocus to several friends, and many of them just end up procrastinating through their Pomodoro timer. I Miss My Cafe If you've ever brought your laptop to a coffee shop for the sole purpose of working, you probably know what that can do for your productivity. There's something comforting about the constant buzz of a coffee shop. The baristas, the customers, the machines whipping up lattes, and a faint playlist that you can often barely hear over the sound of the ambience of the place. It's also a lot harder (at least for me) to procrastinate when I'm surrounded by people. That part can't be achieved through an app (well, not directly, although things like Focusmate do exist), but you can always recreate your favorite parts of working in a coffee shop through the use of I Miss My Cafe. I Miss My Cafe is a web app that connects to Spotify to let you create your perfect background noise mix for work. There are thousands of 'rainy day' mixes on YouTube, but those cannot be customized. Here, you control the volume and the type of ambience that plays over the playlist. I like that it lets you choose between something noisier and something quieter; it's very easy to make it suit your current needs. These three web apps helped me combat procrastination. However, the one thing I've learned through all my attempts is that if you're procrastinating, there's probably a reason for it. If I'm rested and not too stressed, I get my work done one way or another — but on days when I'm neither, it helps to lean into these three apps combined with a healthy dash of self-discipline.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Woman Backs Out on Dinner with Grandma, Prompting Unexpected Reaction from Family
A woman took to Reddit after getting into a disagreement with her family about skipping dinner with her grandma The Redditor explained that she got the dates mixed up and had less than 90 minutes to prepare for the outing She decided to skip the dinner, but is now wondering if she was in the wrongA woman turned to Reddit for support after a family dinner miscommunication led to tension at home. The 26-year-old found herself in a tricky situation when her family expected her to attend a dinner at her grandmother's house with only 90 minutes' notice. The mix-up began two days earlier when she was talking to her family about her work schedule. During the conversation, she initially misstated her availability, but quickly corrected herself, saying she could attend dinner the following Sunday. However, it appeared the woman and her family had a different understanding of the dinner date. "Today rolls around and right as I am about to leave to walk my dog around 3pm, my mom comes in and says 'grandma said we can bring the dogs if we want,'" she recounted. "I asked what she was talking about and she repeated, 'We can bring the dogs with us to dinner tonight.' " The sudden plans left her feeling unprepared as she didn't think she'd have enough time to carry out her regular Sunday routine. 'I didn't think I would be ready in time. My dog needed a walk, I needed an almost-everything shower,' she explained. 'I needed to do laundry so I would have clean clothes to wear after showering.' The lack of clear communication left the poster feeling frustrated. 'I don't really understand how no one had thought to tell me this until an hour and a half before,' she wrote. "Granted I guess my dad tried two days earlier, but due to the context of our conversation, it really did seem like he meant that it was next week." She also noted that her mother's usually comprehensive calendar didn't have the outing listed. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. As a result, the woman decided to stay home, but now she is facing criticism from her family. Her mother attempted to guilt her by emphasizing how much her grandmother would miss her, while her siblings accused her of lying about forgetting the dinner plans. 'My whole family has been making comments about me and giving me dirty looks," she wrote. In the Reddit post, the woman clarified that, due to financial constraints, she still lives at home. 'While I'd love to be out on my own, I just can't afford it right now, so I'm stuck here,' she shared in response to readers telling her she should move out. Although she posted for support, many Redditors sided with her family, insisting that she had plenty of time to get ready and attend the dinner. However, others agreed that she had every right to cancel if it was going to stress her out. Read the original article on People
Fox News
24-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
Why God and the Bible were right about your work schedule all along
Most units of time are based on nature. A day is one rotation of the Earth. A month is the moon's orbit. A year is the Earth's path around the sun. But a week? There's no natural explanation for it. (See the video at the top of this article.) That's why ancient cultures defined the week in vastly different ways: four days in West Africa, 10 in Egypt, 15 in China. In the 1930s, the Soviets tried to eliminate the seven-day week entirely — first replacing it with a four-day week, then a five, "to facilitate the struggle to eliminate religion." They were at least right about the source. The seven-day week comes straight from the Bible. In Exodus, God commands: "Six days you shall work, and on the seventh you shall rest." That short verse carries deep insight. First, it applies to everyone. Second, it treats work not as a necessity, but as a value. The Torah doesn't say "work must be done," but that you shall work. The work itself matters regardless of the outcome. This work doesn't need to be paid. Volunteering and child-rearing certainly count as long as the activity is demanding, consistent and productive. "The Torah doesn't say 'work must be done,' but that you shall work." The second insight can be seen in the life of Joseph, the only person in the Bible called a "success" — twice. This happened once as a slave, and once as a prisoner – and all the time with God by his side, whom he constantly cited (even as he, unlike his father Jacob and grandfather Abraham, never spoke with God). Still, work must stop. The seventh day, Shabbat, is not just a break. It's a weekly reset, a day to gather, reflect and reconnect. The Jewish tradition calls it "a taste of Heaven on Earth." Modern culture, though, swings between extremes. For most of the 20th century, work was considered an unfortunate financial necessity to be escaped. We see this in popular music, such as "Heigh Ho," "9 to 5" and "Taking Care of Business" — all songs about how work is meaningless drudgery. Popular commercials in the 1980s and '90s portrayed the ideal life as one of leisure: playing polo, loading fancy dogs into a car and diving off a yacht into the ocean. Then, around the year 2000, everything flipped. Suddenly, busyness became the new badge of honor. A new locution entered the lexicon — that people are "crazy busy." This strange expression became so commonplace that it became the quintessential humblebrag. It even took on a shortened version for those who were too busy to say the whole four syllables — that one's schedule is "crazy." Neither extreme works. The leisure advocates need to understand what modern studies show time and again: Happiness at work is key to happiness in life. This is partially because we spend much of our time at work, and it is hard to enjoy life if we dislike how we spend most of our work hours. "The biblical Joseph would have been proud." Contemporary research has shown that we can enjoy and find meaning in any job as long as we frame it correctly. This is called "job crafting." A Wharton study found that hospital custodians who "job craft" and viewed their work as part of "healing patients" were more fulfilled and more successful than those who saw it as menial labor. The biblical Joseph would have been proud. But that's not the whole story. Numerous studies have found that there is a productivity ceiling. The first research on this topic was done by the British Ministry of Munitions, which established a committee in 1915 to assess the work that resulted in equipping the soldiers in the Great War. They concluded that the British war effort required giving workers a Sabbath — so that the workers would produce more. The report, in part, said that "the evidence is conclusive that Sunday labor, by depriving the worker of his weekly rest, offers him no sufficient opportunity for recovering from fatigue … Seven days' labor only produces six days' output and … reductions in Sunday work have not involved any appreciable loss of output." A century later, John Pencavel, a professor at Stanford, analyzed the data using modern tools. He determined that production correlated with work hours for the first 49 hours a week. The rate of production slowed for the hours 50 to 55. However, there was no increase in output from hours 56 to 70. The Economist, in reviewing Pencavel's work, concluded, "That extra 14 hours was a waste of time." And so, we now have the number of what we have termed the "productivity ceiling": It's 55 hours a week. And here's the amazing and maybe divine math. "The good life isn't all leisure or all work." A Sabbath observer can work 10 hours a day for five days a week. He can really only work half a day on the sixth, as he needs to prepare for Shabbat — leaving him with a 55-hour work week. So God was right. The good life isn't all leisure or all work. It's six days of meaningful work, followed by a seventh day of sacred rest. Mark Gerson's new book is "God Was Right: How Modern Social Science Proves the Torah Is True," published by BenBella Books and distributed by Simon & Schuster (June 2025). This article is the second in a series featured exclusively by Fox News Digital.
