Social Security
“Looting” Social Security’s Trust Fund Dead Wrong and an Obstacle to Reform
John Attarian is a freelance writer who has completed a book on Social Security. In this piece, Attarian takes on the persistent myth of the Social Security Trust Fund, producing a thorough history of Social Security. As he notes, there is no trust fund,…
Prepping for Mid-Terms: Evaluating Candidates’ Claims About Social Security
We’re in the homestretch for the 2018 mid-term election cycle, and candidate ads are bombarding us from all sides. Many of these ads make reference to Social Security and the candidates’ views on handling it, either with a full-on reference…
Surprise! Your Social Security Benefits May be Taxed
For many folks entering the retirement world with an understanding of what their monthly Social Security benefit payment–the benefit they’ve earned through a lifetime of work and FICA tax contribution–will be, it comes as a surprise at tax time to…
SSDI: Going Back to Work on a Trial Basis
In response to a question from an SSDI recipient wanting to return to work but concerned about not being able to remain employed, the analysts at maximizemysocialsecurity.com provide an explanation of Social Security’s trial work period (TWP) provision and how benefits…
Q&A on Spousal Benefits
In a post on www.forbes.com, contributor Laurence Kotlikoff tackles a series of questions about Social Security spousal benefits, one of the most misunderstood facets of the program. Check out his post here, and know that the AMAC Foundation offers a…
Social Security Myth Alert–Another Debunking
We’ve covered this subject before, several times–the popular myths and misconceptions that can cause folks to make unfortunate decisions about their Social Security benefits–but it’s always good to take a fresh look at some of the more frequently cited mis-truths…
Synthetic Identity Fraud and Social Security Numbers–Yet Another Battle to be Fought
It sounds like a strange title for a vulnerability–“synthetic identity fraud”–but it’s not really that far-fetched. In simple terms the concept is used to describe situations where a “genuine social security number is used alongside a false name and date of…
Bill Introduced to Eradicate Current Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
(Source: House Ways and Means Committee Press Release) Brady, Neal Introduce Legislation to Ensure Equal Treatment for Teachers, Firefighters, Police Officers, and Other Public Servants When It Comes to Social Security Washington, D.C. – This week, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman…
Indirectly Addressing Social Security’s Woes
In Late August, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) praised the 1.6 million jobs created this year and the highest level of wage gains since 2009, largely attributing these factors as evidence of the efforts underway in the current…
Extending the working years and what it can mean for you
The long-standing norm that age 65 was the end of the working career is being upended these days, with more and more folks opting to stay in the workforce well past what used to be the standard exit point. This www.bloomberg.com…