Tom Margenau
-
Tom Margenau
About Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. For many years, he was the director of SSA’s public information office at the agency’s headquarters in Baltimore, Md. In that post, he was the chief editor for more than 100 informational publications produced by SSA.
He also was SSA’s deputy press officer for several years, serving in that position as a chief spokesman for the Social Security Administration. Prior to that, he was a speechwriter for the Commissioner of Social Security. Before he moved to SSA’s headquarters, he worked for 12 years in Social Security field offices around the country, where he processed Social Security claims while writing Social Security columns for local newspapers.
He has written the “Social Security and You ” column for national syndication since 1997. Margenau graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1971. He is married and has two grown children and five grandchildren.
Posts
Social Security COLA for 2025
In mid-October every year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its much-anticipated report on changes (usually increases) to the Consumer Price Index over the past...
A Widow Doesn’t Have To ‘Live in Sin’ To Get Social Security
Headlines in newspapers around the country went something like this: "Widow must live in sin to avoid losing Social Security check." Television news reports featured...
How Your Retirement Benefit is Figured
There are three kinds of people. There are those who just want to know what their benefit is going to be and don't really care...
Rumors About Undocumented Immigrants and Social Security Are Untrue
For years, I've been hearing silly rumors about undocumented immigrants and Social Security. And those rumors seem to have multiplied many times in this election...
Social Security and the Death of a Spouse
Sometimes I'll include something in a column about a broader topic that I think is just a small, almost insignificant piece of the puzzle. But...
Foreign Pensions and Social Security
In our global economy, it is not uncommon for people to have lived and worked in two or more countries, and thus potentially qualify for...
When and How To File for Social Security Benefits
Whether you make the decision on your own or with help from a financial planner, once you decide the month you want your benefits to...
I’ll Tell You What’s Wrong with Social Security!
Every single day, more than a few of the emails I get from readers start out with this (or a similar) phrase: "I'll tell you...
Myths About Social Security Benefits for Spouses
There are thousands of myths about Social Security benefits. Those myths are usually started online, but then they get picked up by uninformed people and...
Divorced Man’s Guide to Social Security
Your ex-wife does not need your permission to file for divorced wife's benefits on your record. If the law says she's due benefits, she'll get...
No Death Benefit for Widow of Husband Who Was Having an Affair
The $255 death benefit from Social Security was meant to be a temporary relief for families. Yet, decades later, it's still around and comes with...
Should a Housewife Get Paid for Social Security Purposes?
Actually, that's an idea that's been tossed around many times in the past, and unfortunately, it wouldn't work.
Social Security is Complicated Because Life is Complicated
People are always telling me that Social Security rules are so complicated. Actually, most of the basic rules are rather straightforward and simple. But to...
Social Security Rules Rarely Change
I feel guilty when I repeat information in a column. But sometimes a message I delivered in an old column just demands to be repeated....
Get weekly tips on housing, retirement living, senior care, and more sent right to your inbox.




