Social Security…choices, choices

Cone, who turns 74 in February, has worked his entire life. A widower, he has three children, eight grandchildren, “12 or 13” great-grandchildren and a crushing weight on his back. A four-year member of the Army National Guard, Cone started out as a trucker. In 1989, he went to work for Denver Mobility and began driving for RTD’s Access-a-Ride in 2000. He retired at 65. “My wife of 17 years died two months ago,” he tells the IJN. “She earned $1,080 in Social Security and I got $1,317 a month. We depended on two Social Security checks to survive.” Losing his wife was painful enough. But it also drastically changed his financial situation. “When she died, I was caught between limbo and hell.” He continued […]