An accessible and helpful primer for those thinking about Social Security.
Jennings (Paid For, 2017, etc.) walks retirees through the federal social insurance program in this manual.
As more and more baby boomers reach the age of retirement, the number of Americans signing up for Social Security benefits has reached unprecedented heights. This work “is designed to help you avoid the mistakes by understanding what your benefits are, how they are calculated, and how to plan for your own benefit.” First and foremost, Jennings wants readers to understand that Social Security is not going bankrupt and will not do so in the near future. Retirees who sign up as soon as they are eligible (age 62) based on the premise that it soon won’t be there are, in Jennings’ estimation, making an uninformed decision. Many retirees (and even scores of financial advisers) misunderstand the ways in which Social Security actually works, and Jennings is here to set the record straight. There are scenarios in which Social Security may not pay out for certain people, but such outcomes are based on the actions they have taken during their working lives. From determining what age is best to sign up to examining the effect of pensions and exploring the specifics of retirement, divorce, survivor and disability benefits, the author guides the reader through everything a recipient can (and should) expect. Drawing on decades of professional experience as a CPA, Jennings knows the practical concerns of individuals and highlights those areas that retirees are likely to misunderstand or overlook. His prose is direct and, despite some idiosyncratic flourishes (he occasionally refers to himself using the royal “we”), highly conversational. He deftly uses examples of specific problems (“Elbert is badly injured in an auto accident and is unable to work for nine months”) to illustrate his points, and frequent, useful charts allow the reader to compare various scenarios. It is a dry read, given the topic, but an instructive one. At only 159 pages, this slim guide works as an effective introduction to those who are just beginning to ponder Social Security, providing enough details for potential beneficiaries to make enlightened decisions without overwhelming readers with a deluge of technical information.
An accessible and helpful primer for those thinking about Social Security.Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5427-0093-1
Page Count: 166
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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