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Taxing Medicare Benefits
In a recent post, I discussed the nontaxation of imputed rent – the income homeowners receive from themselves by virtue of being both landlord and renter – which, judging by the comments, many readers found bizarre. In my continuing series on tax expenditures,…
A timely reminder: Sign up for online Social Security account
I was pleased to receive an automatic e-mail alert from the Social Security Administration Monday urging me to review my Social Security statement online. Just like in the old days of paper statements when an annual benefits estimate would arrive in…
Senators highlight report on improper disability payments
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ranking Member Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.), on Sept. 16, highlighted the report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) entitled, “Disability Insurance:…
Danger ahead: Our disappearing pensions
Working Americans ask themselves this question — and angst about the answer — a great deal these days. And why not? For most Americans, retirement reality has turned chillingly stark: Either you have a robust set of investments in your…
For extra security, know finances well
Life can get chaotic, and logic and reason can be elusive during times of significant changes. Marriage and divorce are two such times when change comes quickly and resulting decisions are often made without careful thought to their long-term impacts. During…
Inside the world of disability claims
A congressional panel that earlier this year criticized judges for lavishly awarding Social Security disability benefits might have been talking about Tennessee. It depends how you crunch the numbers. Nearly two-thirds of administrative law judges in Tennessee grant benefits to more than…
Subsidizing Spouses
The federal tax code and Social Security both contain provisions that subsidize marriage if one spouse refrains from paid employment. Critics of such provisions have long noted that they discourage married women’s participation in the labor force. They may have a similar…
US budget deficit shrinks 35 pct. through August
The U.S. government posted a narrower budget deficit in August compared with a year ago, keeping the annual gap on track to be the smallest in five years. The Treasury Department says the deficit in August was $147.9 billion, down from…
Insider Info on Social Security Number Verification
Social Security Number (SSN) is really a nine-digit code being released through the Social Security Administration (SSA) to permanent people and dealing citizens in the united states. This code is required for filing tax statements and it is a requisite…
Social Security Disability How you can Improve Your odds of Being Qualified
When you are handling a lengthy-term disability, among the first places you need to turn may be the Social Security disability program. The advantages are crucial for individuals who require them, however this highly complicated federal system can be challenging…