Includes bibliographical references (pages 229-232) and index.

What is Social Security? -- The beginnings of Social Security -- The history of retirement -- The rise of America's middle class -- Funding Social Security -- Fixing Social Security -- Getting a Social Security card -- Getting another card -- Protecting your Social Security number -- Qualifications for receiving benefits -- Your full reitrement age -- Getting started with sucial security -- Estimating your benefits -- Disability benefits -- Supplemental security income -- Children with disabilities -- Spousal benefits -- Survivors benefits -- Other beneficiaries -- Benefits for children -- Taxes on Social Security benefits -- Working in retirement -- Taking benefits early -- Claiming benefits later -- If you're self-employed -- Deemed filing -- Windfall elimination provision -- Government pension offset -- The retroactive lump-sum option -- Stopping your benedits -- Appealing an SSA decision -- Health and Social Security -- Medicare -- Social Security and your retirement -- Using a financial planner -- Planning for tomorrow -- Employer-sponsered retirement plans -- IRAs, HSAs, and self-employment -- Choosing the right investments -- Finding happiness in retirement -- Your dream retirement -- If a door closes -- The new retirement.