Social Security
Cmr. O’Malley Announces SSI Change to Facilitate Eligibility
Accessing crucial Supplemental Security Income benefits will become simpler, and the Agency’s workload will be streamlined a bit, by a new rule set to kick in later this year. As explained in a March 27 press release, the ruling will…
Outdated Job Data in Disability Claims Processing Cited in Congressional Hearing
Recently confirmed Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley was taken to task at a Joint Social Security and Work & Welfare Subcommittee Hearing last week on the Agency’s use of decades-old jobs data in its disability determination processes. In discussing where…
For Future Ex-Patriots Alert: Understanding the Rules for Off-Shore Social Security Payments Is Essential
Social Security beneficiaries electing to live abroad can collect their earned benefits just like their U.S. counterparts. In fact, according to a post by U.S. News and World Report contributor Maryalene LaPonsie, the U.S. Department of State reports that more…
Student Loans and Social Security Penalties Being Examined
The Treasury Offset (TOP) program that allows for the offsetting of Social Security benefits in situations where student loans have defaulted is the subject of an investigation launched earlier this month. As explained in a post by Kiplinger Joey Solitro…
Yet Another Viewpoint on Delaying Retirement
It’s been all over the media in the past few days. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has gone on record with an opinion that the popular notion of retirement age being 65 is crazy. In fact, in a Marshall News Messenger post…
Adjusting the Retirement Age: Extreme or Sensible? One viewpoint.
The debate over how best to address Social Security’s looming catastrophe is raging again. No surprise there, since it’s a presidential election year and that means pretty much any specific suggestion to address the problem acquires polar opposite viewpoints. A…
A Perspective on Social Security’s Customer Service
Much has been written over the past few months and years about public perspectives on the quality of Social Security’s customer service practices. Much of it has been negative, citing the painful wait times associated with the 800-number service, the…
Immigration Emerges in the Social Security Debate (Again)
In an analysis of GOP presidential candidate Trump’s recent remarks about Social Security’s looming financial crisis, The Motley Fool’s Sean Williams cited the candidate’s campaign position on the program as “flawed” and pointed out several fundamental points omitted from its…
Tax Policy and Social Security’s Future–Two Closely-Tied Topics
Earlier this month, the White House presented its Fact Sheet on the proposed budget, part of which focuses on the premise that the spending plan Makes Wealthy People Pay Their Fair Share. Since the issue of taxation typically emerges in…
SSA Moves to Soften the Impact of Overpayment Recovery
Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley, facing up to the Agency’s mounting public criticism on the procedures used to recover overpayments, recently made good on his vow to eliminate one of the “heavy-handed” practices previously used. Before O’Malley’s announcement, the Agency’s…