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What the Social Security Fairness Act mean for Your Benefits in 2025

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
July 07, 2025 Category: Tax, Social Security, Tax Planning, Financial Planning

By Mark Sipos, LFG Tax Director If you’ve worked in a public service job, chances are you’ve heard of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). WEP reduced Social Security benefits for individuals with pensions from jobs that didn’t pay into Social Security, and GPO reduced Social Security spousal and survivor benefits for individuals who also received a pension from a job that wasn’t covered by Social Security. But at the beginning of the year, as one of their last acts in office, the Biden Administration passed the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), meaning many retirees may see higher monthly payments and possibly retroactive benefits. Let’s break down what SSFA entails, how the repeals affect you, and what you need to know about the taxation of your Social Security benefits moving forward. What Changed in 2025? On January 5, 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act officially repealed WEP and GPO. This change applies to Social Security benefits payable for any months after December 2023. That means if you were previously impacted by WEP, your benefit could increase, possibly significantly. The repeal also opens the door for retroactive payments dating back to January 1, 2024. In total, more than 3.2 million Americans are expected to benefit from the elimination of WEP and GPO, according to the Social Security Administration. How WEP, GPO Repeal Impacts Public Employees and Retirees The repeal

Municipal Bond Market Spotlight

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
July 07, 2025 Category: Market Commentary, Bonds, Financial Strategy, Financial Planning

By Chad Roope, CFA ®, Chief Investment Officer U.S. municipal bonds (munis) are prized for their tax advantages, but their historic tendency to provide a stable source of return also makes them valuable amid market volatility and uncertainty. Munis are generally less vulnerable to inflation shocks or the crossfire of global trade policies because they are often linked to public authorities that provide fee-based essential services, such as waste collection and public transportation, or secured by taxes on sales, property, and income. Munis have also shown historically low default rates and high credit ratings (Aa3 versus Ba1 for global corporate debt, on average) thanks to the disciplined finances and stable revenues of most state and local governments. Tax equivalent yields of munis have reset to levels not seen in over a decade, with some investment grade yields north of 6%. Against this backdrop, we see an opportunity to increase allocations, particularly as the outlook for limited supply relative to demand in July and August could bolster performance. Additionally, munis offer a possible antidote to tariffs and recession concerns. Amid Wall Street’s growing concern over a potential tariff-induced recession, investors are seeking refuge in areas least affected by global supply chains. This is fueling interest in state and local government bonds for the following reasons: Limited exposure to trade risks: A broad-based economic slowdown would reduce state r

Actively Managed Portfolios at Lineweaver

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
March 11, 2025 Category: Markets, Portfolio, Financial Planning, Managed Accounts

By Chad Roope, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer We recognize that the market is currently experiencing turbulence and volatility not seen in several years. Given the strong returns we experienced in 2023 and 2024, the instability of the last week feels particularly unsettling for most of us. Given this volatility, we’ve made recent trades and rebalanced our clients’ portfolios. Despite the current uncertainty, we anticipate that 2025 will be a reasonably good year for stocks. Our belief is that we will finish the year with returns in the mid- to upper-single digits. Over the course of the year, however, we expect the markets to be much more volatile than what we have experienced over the past few years.  Our belief that the economy is still fundamentally strong has three supporting points. The first is earnings, which are growing at a strong rate. In addition to good earnings, we're beginning to see the market broaden beyond just a few top tech stocks. Many other stocks are also trending higher as we enter 2025. Finally, while there’s a great deal of uncertainty in terms of policy, tariffs, trade deals, and other changes in Washington, we also think that these changes – and the volatility that comes with them – are creating opportunity.  Within our clients’ investment accounts, we've recently rebalanced our strategies. Some of the things that did so well last year were slightly above our target weights, leadi

Are you prepared for the four phases of retirement?

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
August 08, 2024 Category: General, Retirement, Financial Planning

As you near retirement, you're probably thinking a lot about your finances and wondering if your savings will be enough for your retirement years. While it's important to pay attention to your 401(k), IRAs, and Social Security benefits, you might not have considered one of the most important aspects of retirement: the psychological phases you'll go through during retirement. Understanding the emotional and mental changes that come with retirement can make the experience easier. It can help you not only financially but also enjoy a fulfilling retirement with a sense of purpose and well-being. In an article on Yahoo Finance, Dr. Riley Moynes, the author of “The Four Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You’re Retiring,” explains how he interviewed 150 retirees about their experience and outlined key phases that can occur. Click here to read more about his insights and explore the four phases of

Savvy Social Security Planning

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
September 06, 2018 Category: Social Security, Financial Planning, Lineweaver

Savvy Social Security Planning: What Baby Boomers Need to Know to Maximize Retirement Income What you need to know before you apply for Social Security benefits. When should someone start collecting Social Security benefits? The answer is that there is no one "best age" for everyone and, ultimately, it is your choice. You should make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits based on your individual and family circumstances. We don’t know what the future holds, but Social Security is likely to continue as a source of some retirement income for baby boomers. From a planning perspective, any assumptions made about the impact of Social Security on retirement should be conservative. An individual’s full retirement age (FRA) is the age when he or she qualifies to receive the entire or "full" Social Security retirement benefit based on his or her earnings history. This age varies based on when he or she was born  Everyone who is qualified to receive Social Security retirement benefits can begin taking them as early as age 62 or delay up to age 70. Your monthly benefit amount can differ substantially based on the age when you start receiving benefits. If you decide to start benefits before your full retirement age, your benefit will be smaller but you will receive it for a longer period of time. At age 62, your monthly benefit is 25% lower than the benefit at full retirement age. (FRA)  If you decide to wait until your full ret