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Following DOMA Ruling, Social Security Administration Begins Processing Applications for Same-Sex Couples
The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) will have widespread effects on many federal programs. It may take quite some time for the ruling to be fully implemented into law. But…
Social Security Column: Spouses have a significant benefit
Social Security can be an important financial asset for married couples when the time comes to apply for retirement benefits. In many cases, one spouse may have earned significantly more than the other, or have worked for a longer span…
Among adults in California, those with Medicaid coverage have highest increase in emergency department visits
“Emergency department (ED) use has been affected by insurance patterns over time and will likely be further affected by expansions of coverage from health care reform.” Uninsured patients are often thought of as high and frequently inappropriate ED users, but…
Financial Planning Tip: Social Security claiming strategies that can be worth thousands to retirees
You read that correctly. It’s no gimmick. There are several ways for retirees to potentially add thousands of extra dollars to their annual income by doing some things and not others. It all hinges around what you do when you…
A Rich Retirement: How to get the biggest Social Security check
According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, only two-thirds of Americans have saved for retirement and most have saved less than $25,000. The average retiree depends on Social Security for 70 percent of his or her income. Unfortunately, Social Security just…
Medicare Season Fast Approaches On Oct. 15
Medicare’s open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, just like last year. But there may be a little more confusion this year. That’s because we’ll also be hearing about open enrollment for the new Health Insurance Marketplaces. They are part…
Social Security Disability and mental impairments
While individuals may collect benefits for both physical and mental medical conditions under the Social Security Disability program, it is much harder to secure benefits for a mental illness. This is because symptoms associated with a mental disability are difficult…
Pulse of The People: Reject Chained CPI
A flawed policy initiative called the Chained CPI is gaining steam in Washington budget talks that would shortchange New Yorkers who receive federal benefits such as Social Security and federal annuities by low balling their annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs.) Chained CPI…
Don’t Destroy Your Social Security Disability Claim By Failing to Accurately Complete the Work History Report
When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits the Social Security Administration is going to send you a form called the Work History Report form (SSA-3369-BK) http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa/3369.pdf. Unfortunately, many Social Security Disability applicants don’t do a complete job of filling out the…
New study warns of US long-term debt problems
A new government study says that federal health care and retirement programs threaten to overwhelm the federal budget and harm the economy in coming decades unless Washington finds the political will to restrain their inexorable growth. The long-term pressures promise…