The Social Security trustees issue reports on the health of the Social Security trust funds every so often and you may have heard that if nothing changes, beginning in 2034, there will be a 23 percent reduction in Social Security benefits due to the agency’s depleted trust funds. This is something we have known for… Read more »
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Retirement Benefits Can Be Reduced If You Are Still Working
As long as you are at your full retirement age, which is determined by your date of birth, working will not impact your Social Security benefits, but if you are collecting Social Security benefits early, your work income can reduce your benefits. Here is how Social Security determines whether your benefits will be reduced. You… Read more »
Social Security Replaces Just A Small Percentage Of A Worker’s Earnings
Social Security is known as the third rail of politics. As such, presidents, senators and congressional members have generally steered clear of trying to change the program. Many politicians have offered ideas, but few substantial changes have been offered to the program, which is still considered one of America’s most successful social programs. Millions of… Read more »
School Records Can Be Crucial In A Child SSI Case
When discussing the Social Security disability process typically medical records come to mind. Medical records are needed to prove a disability case, but sometimes school records are even more important in a child Supplemental Security Income (SSI) case. School records are crucial for a child SSI claim when the impairments deal with mental health disabilities,… Read more »
The Latest With Social Security
When natural disasters occur in a region, such as the California wildfires, which have burned more than 500,000 acres, people are going to be impacted through loss of homes and resources. One resource every Social Security beneficiary relies upon is their Social Security benefit payments as well as other resources. Nancy Berryhill, Social Security’s acting… Read more »
Employee Accused Of Stealing Nearly $100,000 From Social Security
New Jersey resident Nicholas Pao, 37, was charged in connection with allegedly stealing nearly $100,000 in Social Security benefits while he was a claims representative for the Social Security Administration. According to a story that can be found on NJ.com, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said authorities arrested Pao Aug. 1 on charges of stealing government… Read more »
Rubio Offers Bill That Would Allow New Parents To Use Social Security For Leave
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida introduced a bill Aug. 2 that would allow new parents to collect Social Security payments while they are on family leave from work. This type of bill had been talked about for a while, but no specific legislation had been offered until Rubio unveiled the legislation Aug. 2. Specifically, the bill… Read more »
Proposal Would Allow Experts To Appear By Video Or Phone
Nearly every Social Security disability hearing includes testimony of a vocational expert (VE) and many include the testimony of a medical expert (ME). Testimony from these individuals is important in deciding whether a claimant is disabled and entitled to disability benefits, and now Social Security doesn’t want the burden of making these witnesses testify in… Read more »
Senator Says Hearings Office In Syracuse Needs More Funding
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, (D-New York) is advocating for more funding for Social Security’s hearing’s office in Syracuse New York. Currently Syracuse has approximately a two-year wait for a hearing for disability claimants, and Schumer wants some of the $440 million in extra funding approved by Congress to go to reducing the Social Security backlog…. Read more »
Democrats Offer Solution To Social Security’s COLA Problem
A previous blog post reported on the 34 percent reduced purchasing power Social Security beneficiaries have experienced since 2000, mainly due to how the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is a calculated each year, and now leading Democrats have offered a solution. The COLA Social Security beneficiaries receive is based on the Consumer Price Index for… Read more »
