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Some surprising facts about Social Security
In this article by Matt Montgomery, the author provides a list of interesting and sometimes surprising facts about America’s most important social benefit program, Social Security. This list includes important facts you should know, especially if you’re approaching Social Security…
Social Security Phone Scams Seek Your Money
It’s a sad commentary on our times that we must post these scam and fraud articles so frequently, but it seems there is no end to reports of unsuspecting people being bilked out of their money. Just as we report…
Scammers using “spoof” number for SS Inspector General
In an incredible example of the depths to which scammers will go to bilk you out of your money, criminals are now “spoofing” your caller ID into saying the call is from Social Security’s office of the Inspector General’s (OIG)…
Explaining Social Security’s Payroll Tax (FICA)
For most of us, whenever you look at your paystub you see the entry – often referred to as a “FICA” deduction. “FICA” is an acronym for “Federal Insurance Contributions Act”, which consists of a tax for both Social Security and…
The Federal “CSRS Offset”, explained
“CSRS”, or the Civil Service Retirement System, was a pre-1984 Federal employee retirement system which did not participate in the Social Security program. It was replaced by “FERS”, or Federal Employee Retirement System, the current system which does participate in…
Social Security Benefits May Be Taxable as Income
Social Security benefits may be taxable as income, which comes as a surprise to many a new recipient of benefits. Though some states do not tax benefits (and some do), your Federal tax obligation will always take your Social Security…
Retirement Planning: Out with the old and in with the new
Reality today means that the old advice typically given by financial planners may no longer work. Constantly improving longevity means that the length of your retirement, which was once counted in years is now counted in decades. And that means…
Appealing a Social Security denial, all the way to the Supreme Court
It’s pretty well known that Social Security routinely denies many of the disability claims brought before it, and in many cases the denial is warranted. But whenever a denial is issued and the applicant believes strongly it is wrong, there…
SSA issues public warning about scammers
In a public service announcement, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued a warning to all Americans about criminals calling seniors and posing as Social Security representatives in an effort to defraud them. Sometimes these scammers are even “spoofing” the number…
April is National Social Security Month
The Social Security Administration has designated April as National Social Security month, a time when the agency promotes all of the many features available to seniors via America’s most important social benefit program. This month, the agency is placing special…