Latest News
Thieves Stealing Thousands Of Social Security Checks Online
Tens of thousands of Americans have been scammed out of their social security checks and it’s all being done online. In March, the Social Security Administration made a change and now almost everyone who gets a social security check has them…
U.S. Income Inequality Reaches Highest Level Since 1928
A new economic study reveals income inequality between the wealthiest Americans and the rest of the population continues to increase. According to an analysis of IRS figures dating to 1913 by economists at the University of California, Berkeley, the Paris…
Social Security Disability Advocates – Current Issues
More than 11 million individuals with disabilities receive insurance from the United States’ Social Security program. This valuable government-sponsored program provides an important source of income when workers retire, for the families of workers when they die, or when they…
Nation’s debt has nearly reached its $16.7 trillion ceiling
With the Syrian crisis at least temporarily off the federal government’s front burner, Congress is turning its attention back to fiscal issues — most critically, the looming fight over raising the ceiling on federal debt. In Congress, the issue now has become…
Eight in Ten U.S. Households Pay Social Security and Medicare Taxes
While relatively few low-income people pay federal income tax, a large and growing share owe Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, according to new estimates by the Tax Policy Center. As a result, while about 43 percent of all households will pay no federal…
The special issues of LGBT seniors
The Social Security Administration in August began processing claims for benefits for those in same-sex marriages, the latest in a chain of federal agency responses to the Defense of Marriage Act court decision. While this is a big step forward…
Chained CPI will financially harm seniors
A flawed policy initiative called the Chained CPI is gaining steam in Washington budget talks that would shortchange Nebraskans who receive federal benefits such as Social Security and federal annuities by lowballing their annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). Chained CPI supporters…
A responsible fiscal agenda for Washington
Congress’s return to Washington on September 9 will launch a renewed debate about the nation’s fiscal future. We don’t know what the outcome will be, but we do know what’s at stake. Reporters and editors often liken policy debates to a…
Will Americans continue to work longer?
As a strong proponent of working longer, I have been delighted to see the increase in the labor-force participation of men age 60 to 74 in recent years. I, and other researchers, attribute this pattern to a host of factors,…
Advantages, disadvantages of veteran health benefits
Many veterans will find themselves in the enviable position of having health benefits from both Veteran Affairs and Medicare. There are a number of advantages as well as some pitfalls that you should be aware of. As an example, your VA covers…