If you have been receiving a relatively large tax refund (refund in access of $1,500) in the past couple of years, yet finding it hard to make ends meet, this article is for you.

Nearly 70 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. After they pay their monthly expenses and debts, they have nothing left over to save and invest for future goals, pay off debt and/or spend on activities that are conducive toward romance and entertainment.

by LeeAnn Stuever

Improvements to one of the most popular online services in government—the Retirement Estimator, located at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator—allow more people than ever before to get a personalized and instant estimate of future Social Security retirement benefits.

Since its launch last year, the Retirement Estimator has provided more than four million personalized estimates, and is one of the most highly rated online services in government. 

The most recent customer satisfaction numbers are at an all-time high. The latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index for E-Government ranks the Retirement Estimator as the top service at 91 percent. It is followed closely by Social Security’s online retirement application, with a 90 percent customer satisfaction rating and the Medicare Extra Help application, with an 87 percent rating. These three Social Security services are the top three online services in government.

You may be wondering: if the Retirement Estimator is the most popular online service in government, what can be done to improve it?

One major improvement is that more people will be able to use it. Previously, people who had not yet filed for monthly Social Security benefits but who were already enrolled in Medicare were not able to take advantage of the service.  Now they can.

So if you have Medicare coverage but have delayed filing for your Social Security benefits and you would like to get an estimate of your future benefits, just visit www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

Other improvements are coming soon.  Next year, the Retirement Estimator will be the first online service available in Spanish.

Would you like to get an immediate and personalized estimate of your retirement benefits right now? Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. To get an estimate, you’ll need to enter your first and last name, date and place of birth, Social Security number and mother’s maiden name. If the information matches Social Security’s records, the Retirement Estimator combines this information with the information that Social Security has on record, including your yearly earnings, to provide a quick and reliable online benefit estimate.

While you’re checking out the most popular online service in government, try out some of our other online services and information as well. You can find it all at www.socialsecurity.gov.

(LeeAnn Stuever is Social Security manager in Downtown Pittsburgh.)

(NNPA)—The Hon. Percy Sutton certainly embodied the principle of Kujichagulia (self-determination). His pioneering work in the broadcast industry as founder of Inner City Broadcast Corp. (ICBC), paved the way for many of us to have a “voice” in media. ICBC now stands as the largest Black-owned media enterprise in the world. Percy taught me that you never come up short of what you give.

As keynote speaker for a U.S. Department of Commerce benefit, I recall first meeting Inner City chairman emeritus Percy Sutton. Later, I became the magazine’s featured young entrepreneur story. Developing a working relationship with Percy Sutton, I went onto buy 80 percent ownership of Inner City Magazine in February 2001. Based on my observations, Percy is truly the “godfather of Black business.” Growing up as the son of a Black slave, Percy Sutton defied all odds, dedicating his life to creating equal opportunity. He made possible shows like “American Idol” by founding The Showtime Apollo Theater.

Financial planning

JAN. 6—Duquesne University’s School of Leadership and Professional Advancement will host “Informational Webcast: Executive Certificate in Financial Planning” from 12-1 p.m. at 600 Forbes Ave., Uptown. This webcast will be on the Executive Certificate in Financial Planning and will provide an opportunity for interested students to learn more about the program and how to enroll in it. The webinar is free and open to the public. For more information, call 412-396-5600 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .