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Retirees can boost the local economy
One way to stimulate the economy, with few demands on public services, is to attract financially secure retirees. Just think, if Santa Maria could attract some of the millions of baby boomers heading into retirement, the city could benefit from the…
Social Security To Drop ‘Mental Retardation’
The Social Security Administration will become the latest federal agency to start using the term “intellectual disability” in lieu of “mental retardation.” In a final rule published in the Federal Register on Thursday, Social Security officials said they approved the change in terminology…
Activists demonstrate for Social Security expansion at Cornyn’s Houston office
A dozen progressive activists gathered in front of Texas Senator John Cornyn’s Memorial Drive office Thursday to draw attention to two Senate bills intended to expand Social Security benefits. The group also announced the results of a recent poll that…
Deficit Had to Get Worse to Start Looking Better
The U.S. budget deficit is plummeting. The Treasury plans to start cutting back on its debt issuance. The deficit scolds have gone underground. Austerity is yesterday’s obsession. The president is exploiting the improved fiscal outlook to push for new spending. All those statements are…
Preparing for the blame game
The recent editorial on Vermont’s upcoming health care experiment proves yet again that there is no objective, unbiased journalism left in the Times Argus organization. The paper no longer makes any effort to interject the least bit of scrutiny into…
Payday lenders prey on seniors
“My name is Annette Smith. I am 69-years-old; I live in a small town outside of Sacramento, Calif., and am a long-time customer of Wells Fargo … I have been receiving Social Security as my only income for about 7…
How to get employees of small businesses to save for retirement
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AARP usually can be found on opposite ends of the ideological spectrum when it comes to retirement policy. The two Washington advocacy powerhouses have often been at loggerheads on key policy fights, such as…
UNDERSTANDING Social Security: It’s A Long, Long Wait To Get SSI, SSD
Last week I addressed the premise that the disability (SSD) and SSI programs represent “welfare” payments. I will follow up in this column by emphasizing that the process of receiving SSD and SSI benefits is, for many people, long and…
Lawmakers introduce bill to eliminate improper benefits payments to deceased
Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) introduced legislation last week that would provide government agencies with tools to improve interagency coordination to prevent fraud and improper payments to the deceased. Read more. Notice: The “Read more…” link…
Medicare premiums to remain stable in 2014
Medicare Part D premiums will average about $31 in 2014 — up from $30 for the past three years. The Part D deductible will fall from $325 to $310 in 2014. “There is continued very strong competition within the Part D plan,”…