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Rep. Van Hollen Makes Clear That He Backs Social Security Expansion
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who has been accused by progressive groups of being in favor of cuts to Social Security, announced his backing Wednesday for a bill that would expand the program. Van Hollen, who is running to replace retiring…
Heritage: Amnestied Illegals to Get $1.3T in Social Security, Medicare
If implemented, President Barack Obama’s executive actions granting temporary amnesty and federal benefits to nearly 4 million illegal aliens in the United States will end up costing American taxpayers about $1.3 trillion in Social Security and Medicare benefits, and about…
How About a Bold Plan for Reforming Social Security’s Disability Program
The Social Security disability insurance program (SSDI) is an absolute disaster. As Politico’s David Rogers reported in December: “In the past 20 years, the number of workers getting disability payments has more than doubled to 8.95 million last month [November].…
Americans’ Retirement Savings Gap Tops $4 Trillion
The gap between how much Americans are saving for retirement and how much they ought to be saving has grown to more than $4.13 trillion, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). The findings were released last month, ahead…
Senator Sherrod Brown Opposes Social Security Disability Cuts
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Tuesday voiced his opposition to recently-proposed legislation that seeks to eliminate or reduce concurrent Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. Brown, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Social…
Navigating the Labyrinth of Medicare’s Rules and Choices
Medicare choices are among the most complicated and important financial and medical insurance decisions that you will ever make. The saying “Measure twice but cut once” applies to most decision making; reworded as “Measure 10 times and then cut” aptly applies…
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing
Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Carper, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for inviting me to discuss the death information we collect and maintain for Social Security purposes and how we share this information with other government agencies. I am…
Want to Retire Early? Think Again
Some people consider “early retirement” to mean leaving the workforce at age 55. But most of us don’t. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a full pension and benefits that kick in at that age (say, if you worked in…
Lawmakers Move to Extend Social Security Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
Legislation that would ensure all legally married same-sex couples have access to Social Security benefits, regardless of whether they live in a marriage-equality state, was reintroduced in Congress Tuesday. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) reintroduced the Social Security…
Why the Social Security Administration Can’t Help You
The Social Security Administration (SSA for short) can’t help you with your Social Security benefits. That sounds funny, I know, but they can’t. What I mean is they can’t help you put a plan in place to maximize your benefits.…