benefits

Social Security has promises to pay out $41.4 trillion in future benefits, but it has just $34.5 trillion in assets and expected income to cover those promises. You do the math.

Mitt Romney recently turned 65, but won't be signing for Social Security anytime soon. It's not because he's rich, and it's not because he hopes to be in the White House, either: It's because he's following the smart money course.

If you're divorced, your ex-husband or ex-wife might still be able to help you feather your nest in retirement. And there's at least one former-spouse benefit you won't need to go to court to get access to: payments based on their Social Security earnings record.

For investors who open a brokerage account and buy stocks, there's more to be had than just the promise of better investment returns. Some of America's best-known firms also offer perks to their shareholders -- and not just big-money shareholders, either.

When it comes to Social Security's woes, the potential cures discussed the most are unpleasant: Raise the retirement age, reduce payments, or raise the tax rate. Fortunately, those aren't the only options.

Most people's big worry about Social Security these days is that it won't be there at all when they retire. But what they should be worrying about is how to boost their benefits down the road. Here are four ways to do that:

With the unemployment rate at almost 10% and companies cutting back on benefits, millions of people are responsible for securing their own health insurance. Picking the right plan for you can be tricky, so DailyFinance asked consumer health experts for tips on how to maximize benefits while minimizing costs.

It seems like a trick question when the job interviewer asks: "How much are you looking to make?" In today's tough job market, your instinct might be to answer, "I'll take anything." But the smarter move is to do some research so you can walk into salary talks with a sense for your market value.

During the past three decades, businesses of all sizes have shifted away from traditional defined-benefit plans to defined-contribution plans, also known as 401(k)s. Now, states and local governments are doing the same, even though many workers lack the necessary investing savvy.

To retain and attract top employees, U.S. companies are turning to perks such as subsidized training and flexible work conditions rather than raises. These incentives are finding a welcome among employees, too, especially educational benefits.