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The Four Different Types of Social Security Benefits
All the years you worked, you put money into the Social Security system. After paying those premiums—that’s essentially what those Social Security payments are—you should know what benefits are available to you. Read more… Notice: The “Read more…” link…
Lawmakers urge broad snooping powers for Social Security Administration
Key members of Congress said Tuesday that two Social Security judges may have approved thousands of bogus disability claims, but the agency has never gone back to review those judges’ cases to stop the ones that were fraudulent. Rep. James Lankford, Oklahoma Republican,…
Disney Sued Over Disability Access Policy
Disney is facing allegations of discrimination, with a lawsuit charging that modifications to the company’s policy for accommodating people with disabilities at its theme parks violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit filed last week by mothers of 16 kids…
Justice Department Urges Shift Away From Sheltered Workshops
In a first-of-its-kind settlement, the U.S. Department of Justice says a state has committed to overhaul its system of sheltered workshops and day programs for people with developmental disabilities. The agreement announced Tuesday with the state of Rhode Island comes after…
10 Numbers Everyone Should Know About Social Security
If you want to maximize your Social Security payments, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules. The taxes you pay and the age you sign up for benefits play a big role in how much you will receive in retirement.…
The changing social safety net, in charts
My column today looks at how the social safety net has changed over time. Most of the numbers are based on research by Robert A. Moffitt, an economics professor at Johns Hopkins University who has studied the social safety net in the years before, during and…
Medicare for Railroad Families
The Railroad Retirement Board issued the following news release: The Federal Medicare program provides hospital and medical insurance protection for railroad retirement annuitants and their families, just as it does for social security beneficiaries. Medicare has the following parts: Read more… Notice:…
4 Top Ways to Avoid Tax Pain at Retirement
Retirement costs money — an enormous, mind-boggling amount of money. Here’s a thought exercise for some context. Imagine you are one of the lucky few college graduates that rolls out of the diploma mill and into a well-paying job, and at age…
Toomey, Casey back sweeping overhaul of VA to further reduce disability backlog
A coalition of senators and congressmen is preparing for a possible larger overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying a 44 percent cut the agency reported making to reduce the backlog of first-time and supplemental disability claims by former…
Shocking Facts About the Financial Security of Americans
Our nation’s Social Security system is said to be woefully under-financed, but if you think Americans are any better off with their private savings, think again. Forty percent of individuals in the U.S. said they could not or probably could not…