Dear Helaine: My husband and I are in our mid-60s, and we're finding it harder and harder to save money because our earnings from work are going down. We have retirement savings and accounts we could tap while waiting to collect Social Security at our full retirement ages, or even later when our benefits max out at age 70. But with all the uncertainty right now, we're nervous that the promise of full benefits in a few years might not be kept, and we would be spending down our savings for no good reason.

It's hard to trust anything, including assurances that any benefit cuts would be phased in over many years. I'm inclined to think it might be a smart idea to get in while the going is good. What do you think? -- Soon-to-Be Retiree

Dear Soon-to-Be Retiree: Please don't make financial decisions based on long-term political scare tactics and rumor-mongering. The odds of Social Security benefits getting cut in the future are just about nil.

So why do you hear so much about this? It's partly because the Social Security trust fund will likely run out of money without new sources of revenue in the mid-2030s, and at current levels, the money coming in could pay for only three-fourths of what needs to be paid out. But few political experts believe benefits will be cut.

It's quite possible the entire problem will be addressed long before that comes to pass, something that can be done by raising Social Security taxes, including ending the payroll tax cap, which is currently set at $132,900. It's also possible the retirement age would be raised for future beneficiaries.

But plenty of people have realized they can make money by scaring people. That includes any number of financial advisers who have figured out they can sell people on everything from saving more money to making sometimes shady financial investments if they tell people their Social Security payments are in serious danger. Don't fall for it.

As for what you should do, if you can hold out to age 70 to claim Social Security benefits, that would be ideal, but it wouldn't be ideal to drain your savings entirely to do that. In other words, your decision depends on your financial position, not some Social Security doomsday scenario.

(To ask Helaine a question, email her at askhelaine@gmail.com.)

(EDITORS: For editorial questions, please contact Sue Roush at sroush@amuniversal.com)

Dear Helaine: Almost two years ago I moved into my parents' house to save money. Thanks to that decision, I've been able to pay off my student loans, and now my only debt is a car loan. I pay $530 a month, and the balance is $8,800. It comes due at the end of 2019.

I've been saving $2,000 a month and have $22,000 saved. I'm hoping to use this money in the future for a down payment on a condo. Do I use some of this to pay off my car loan in one lump sum and put the additional $500 into savings every month, or do I continue to add to my savings? I know I won't be able to look at condos till I have at least $35,000 saved up. -- Hoping for a Home of My Own

Dear Hoping: Oh, how I wish all reader questions were as easy as yours. It sounds like all is going well with you right now. You seem to like living with your parents. You are on track to pay down your car by the end of the year. You'll have the money you need to begin looking at a home set aside by the fall, if you remain on your current savings schedule.

I wouldn't mess with a situation that's working for you. In fact, I would suggest beginning to look at homes now. This way, when you have all the money together, you'll possess a good sense of the market in your region and have a better sense of what you do and don't want in a home, including what you are willing to compromise on to find a condo in your budget.

Will it be a distance from your mom and dad or work? Is it on a lower or higher floor than you would like? Will you want new construction, or will you take on something that needs some renovation? The only way you can begin to answer these questions is to spend time learning about what is available in your area and at what price point. Happy home hunting!

(To ask Helaine a question, email her at askhelaine@gmail.com.)

(EDITORS: For editorial questions, please contact Sue Roush at sroush@amuniversal.com)

Dear Helaine: I recently received a $10,000 Christmas bonus. I own a home in a city I no longer live in that I rent out to reliable tenants, earning a modest profit. Besides my mortgage, my only other debts are $4,500 remaining on a student loan and $13,000 I still owe my parents for helping me out when I was laid off several years ago. (I'm paying them $350 a month.)

My work is solid, so I am wondering if it makes sense to buy another home in my current city. Between the bonus and accumulated savings, I could put down 5 percent, just like I did with the home I already own. I'm paying $1,200 in rent, and I estimate that if I bought a two-bedroom condo, my expenses would come to $1,800 a month all in, and I could rent out the second bedroom on Airbnb to offset costs.

The only snag is that I might need to purchase a car soon. I currently use a friend's vehicle since he travels 90 percent of the time for work and leaves the car with me. But there is a possibility he will relocate and take the car with him. If that happens, I could lease a vehicle, buy a cheap motorcycle or use the bonus money on a car. So how would you spend the bonus? -- Bonus Bucks

Dear Bonus Bucks: I think you are risking biting off way more than you can chew financially. It's quite possible you are going to need to purchase a car within the next year. I'd suggest putting the bonus money aside in a savings account, so you have it if you need it. If it turns out you can continue to maintain your car-sharing arrangement, you might want to consider accelerating the rate you are paying your extremely generous parents back for their financial help when you needed it.

As for homeownership, I'm going to make a different suggestion. It sounds like you are treading water on the property you are now renting out. I'd suggest putting it on the market, and using the proceeds and other accumulated savings to buy the two-bedroom condo you desire in the city you live in now. This will allow you to put down more than 5 percent -- something I would strongly recommend. The higher your mortgage payment and other monthly charges, such as private mortgage insurance, the less financial latitude you'll have if you encounter financial headwinds. You don't really want to need to turn to Mom and Dad yet again if you lose another job, do you?

(To ask Helaine a question, email her at askhelaine@gmail.com.)

(EDITORS: For editorial questions, please contact Sue Roush at sroush@amuniversal.com)