Maurie Backman

Most retirees will make their Social Security claiming decision exactly once, which is why Maurie Backman has spent more than 20 years helping them understand it. She covers benefit calculations, COLA forecasts, and the policy changes that quietly reshape what retirees receive each month.

Her approach to money extends beyond her articles. She paid off her student loans in full within six months of graduating college, and that early discipline has shaped how she thinks and writes about personal finance ever since. Her work has appeared in Kiplinger, The Motley Fool, 24/7 Wall St., Bankrate, and U.S. News & World Report. She holds a B.A. from Binghamton University.