The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Social Security Benefits Will be Paid On Time Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, reminds the public that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit payments will continue to be paid on time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency also reminds everyone to be aware of scammers who try to take advantage of the pandemic to trick people into providing personal information or payment via retail gift cards, wire transfers, internet currency, or by mailing cash, to mainta...
Social Security offers retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. Medicare provides health insurance. Because these services are often related, you may not know which agency to contact for help. The table on the pdf can help you quickly figure out where to go. Please share this table with family and friends....
Beginning on January 8, 2020, field offices will remain open until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, with typical field office hours from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can locate the closest field office to you using our field office locator. In another move to improve service to the public, Commissioner Saul announced in his Open Letter to the Public at www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/coss-message.html that the agency is hiring 1,100 front line employees to provide service on the a...
Each year, we announce the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). By law, federal benefits increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Usually, there is an increase in the benefit amount people will receive each month, starting the following January. Nearly 69 million Americans will see a 1.6 percent increase in their Social Security benefits and SSI payments in 2020. Other changes t...
Many people pick up side jobs when the holiday shopping season comes around. It’s a good way for you to make some extra income during the busy season or ease back into working if you have been out of the labor force for a while. We’re here to help you navigate working seasonally if you get Social Security. You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. But if you’re younger than full retirement age and earn more than certain amounts, your benefits will be reduced, although not dollar for dollar. Your...
Marriage is a tradition that exists on every continent and in nearly every country. Having a partner not only means creating a family unit, it means sharing things like a home and other property. Understanding how your future retirement might affect your spouse is important. When you’re planning for your retirement, here are a few things to remember: Your spouse’s benefit amount could be up to 50 percent of your spouse’s full retirement age amount, if you are full retirement age when you take...
Social Security and Medicare are both programs that are household names, but do you know the true difference? Both programs help safeguard millions of Americans as well as improve the quality of life for their family and friends. While Social Security offers retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, Medicare provides health insurance. Medicare is our country’s health insurance program for people age 65 or older and younger people receiving Social Security disability benefits. The p...
For young people whose parent passes away, Social Security is here. Losing a parent is both emotionally painful and, often times, devastating to a family’s finances. In the same way that Social Security helps to lift up the disabled and seniors when they need it, we support families when an income-earning parent dies. You should let Social Security know as soon as possible when a person in your family dies. Usually, the funeral director will report the person’s death to Social Security. You...
Andrew M. Saul was sworn in today as the Commissioner of Social Security at the agency’s office in Washington, D.C. He will serve a six-year term that expires on January 19, 2025. Commissioner Saul expressed his gratitude at being chosen to serve as the Commissioner of Social Security. “The Social Security programs touch the lives of almost every American – serving in this position is a tremendous privilege and an awesome responsibility,” said Commissioner Saul. “I am humbled by the opportuni...
Social Security is committed to protecting your personal information. We urge you to always be cautious and to avoid providing sensitive information such as your Social Security number (SSN) or bank account information to unknown people over the phone or internet. If you receive a call and aren’t expecting one, you must be extra careful. You can always get the caller’s information, hang up, and — if you do need more clarification — contact the official phone number of the business or agency...
April is Financial Literacy Month and there’s no better time than right now to begin to save for your future. The earlier you start saving, the more you can accrue in a 401k individual retirement account and other types of IRAs. Social Security helps secure your future, but Social Security is only one part of a more complete retirement plan. Financial literacy includes having access to not just the correct general information, but also to your personal financial information. You can open your o...
March is Women’s History Month. It’s a time when we reflect on the achievements and contributions of our nation’s remarkable women. Many of these heroes might be people close to you: mothers and daughters, aunts, and grandmothers. Each of them plays a special role in our lives as they provide love and support. Social Security plays an important role in providing economic security for women. Nearly 55 percent of the people receiving Social Security benefits are women. In the 21st century, more...
Friday, March 29, 2019 Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Prattville, AL (Senator Course) Central Alabama Aging Consortium, the Area Agency on Aging for Autauga, Elmore and Montgomery counties, established the Dementia Friendly Alabama Initiative in 2016 to provide dementia education, training and resources to those serving and those living with dementia. This year we have partnered with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) who will perform a rescue on the course to highlight their efforts...
Tax season is approaching, and Social Security has made replacing your annual Benefit Statement even easier. The Benefit Statement is also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S. Now you can get a copy of your 1099 anytime and anywhere you want using our online services. A Social Security 1099 is a tax form Social Security mails each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from Social Security in the previous year so you...
A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and senior citizens these days are taking the old saying to heart. With more and more seniors taking the leap and enrolling in what are affectionately known as “encore educations” it stands to wonder, could we take note and follow? There is a group of Americans that are furthering their education, some more than 50 years after they threw their caps in the air in celebratory fashion. There are a few things that factor into the choice to return to school. Fro...
Sometimes it’s confusing to know who to contact and for what. Social Security and Medicare offer related services, so people aren’t always certain who does what. This “cheat sheet” can help. Contact Social Security to: • See if you’re eligible for Medicare; • Create a my Social Security account to do things like request a replacement Medicare card and report a change of address, name, or phone number; • Sign up for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insura...
We’ve all heard the term, “fixed income.” While in all reality most everyone lives on some type of fixed income, there is the possibility of a pay raise while they are in the work force. One overwhelming fear the elderly community faces after retirement is the lack of increasing salaries as the cost of living is steadily on the incline. The National Council on Aging is a great resource as we look to the future of our aging community. Like wise many cities, like Montgomery Alabama, boasts wonde...
Each year we announce the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Usually, there is an increase in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit amount people receive each month, starting the following January. Law requires that federal benefit rates increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The CPI-W rises when prices increase for the things the average c...
Sitting around in “old folks homes” across the nation are many veterans who, during their lifetime, served their country as members of one of the various armed forces. After they served their time, most hung up their hats and went back to being civilians. But one thing many of these veterans were not aware of was that even though they'd hung up their military hats, a host of benefits were available to them, solely as a reward for having served their nation in one of the armed forces. For example...
Every year on Veterans Day, we honor the people who risk their lives to protect our freedom. Social Security honors veterans and active duty members of the military every day by giving them the respect they deserve. Social Security’s disability program is an important part of our obligation to wounded warriors and their families. For military members who return home with injuries, Social Security is a resource they can turn to. If you know any wounded veterans, please let them know about S...
When your writer was growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, the name Salem was associated with the state of Oregon. Later on, now that home is in Alabama, it is learned that there is also a Salem in that state. And recently, in a letter from a sister-in-law in Utah, it was learned that there was also a Salem there. How many Salems, one must ponder, are there? Taking all the states in the U.S. where a city “Salem” exists, there are at least 53—if not more. There are three Salems in Arkansas, two i...
Many people working nowadays have more than one job, so it’s not uncommon for them to have several sources of income. Owning multiple small businesses, seasonal jobs, and the gig economy add to the mix — and complexity — of our modern day economy. It’s important to keep in mind that having multiple sources of income can sometimes affect your Social Security benefits. Disability payments from private sources, such as private pensions or insurance benefits, don’t affect your Social Security...
During his lifetime your humble scribe has traveled throughout most of the United States, Europe, and into the South Pacific. Residence has been in a variety of setting, many more than once, but none have been as satisfactory as the present abode: “Elmcroft of Halcyon,” an assisted living facility located next to the ballpark off Taylor Hill Road. It is a splendid facility that accommodates a variety of senior living needs. The staff at Elmcroft is headed by Executive Director Tammy Grant, who...
Social Security and Medicare have a few things in common. Both programs help safeguard millions of Americans as well as improve the quality of life for our family and friends. Although both programs are household names, many people may not be familiar with the details of Medicare. Medicare is our country’s health insurance program for people age 65 or older. The program helps with the cost of health care, but it doesn’t cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care. You have cho...
On July 6, 1776, General George Washington called for America’s independence from Great Britain, and declared the “The United colonies of North America” were to now be a free and independent nation, no longer under the iron rule of Great Britain. His words were followed by Thomas Jefferson’s declaration that “all men were created equal and endowed by their creator with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Then in 1892, Francis Bellamy put forth his “Pledge of...