The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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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...
Social Security is here for young people when a parent passes away. We know that the loss of a parent isn’t just emotionally painful; it can be devastating to a family’s finances. In the same way that Social Security helps to lift up the disabled and elderly when they need it, we support families when an income-earning parent dies. In 2017, we distributed an average of $2.6 billion each month to benefit about 4.2 million children because one or both of their parents are disabled, retired, or...
You work hard for your money. You’re saving and planning for a secure retirement. Now you need to make sure you’re going to get all the money you deserve. Regularly reviewing your Social Security earnings record can really pay off, especially when every dollar counts in retirement. If an employer did not properly report just one year of your work earnings to us, your future benefit payments from Social Security could be close to $100 per month less than they should be. Over the course of a lifet...
Retirement doesn’t have the same meaning for everyone. Some people plan to retire and never work again. Some people plan for second careers in occupations that wouldn’t have adequately supported their families, but they do the work for pure enjoyment. Some people, whether by design or desire, choose to work part-time or seasonally to supplement their retirement income. Retirees (or survivors) who choose to receive Social Security benefits before they reach full retirement age (FRA) and con...
On Memorial Day, we honor service members who have given their lives for our nation. Social Security acknowledges the heroism and courage of our military service members, and we remember those who have given their lives to protect our country. Part of how we honor these heroes is the way we provide Social Security benefits. The loss of a family member is difficult for anyone. Social Security helps by providing benefits to protect service members’ dependents. Widows, widowers, and their d...
After a lifetime of working, you deserve a comfortable retirement. For over 80 years, Social Security has been helping people shape their future, assisting them with a variety of benefits. It’s up to you as to when you can start retirement benefits. You could start them a little earlier or wait until your “full retirement age,” or delay retirement to get extra money each month. There are benefits to either decision. Full retirement age refers to the age when a person can receive their Socia...
Many, many years ago children of the ruling classes and of the landed gentry were tutored in the home - or palace - by scholars of great repute. The rest of society, for the most part, was illiterate, since philosophers such as Aristotle, Socrates and Plato plied their craft only to the royal or the rich. The rest of society learned its letters and ciphers as best it could. Today there exist derivations of this method of teaching in what has come to be called Home Schooling. A typical home...
I am pleased to share that starting April 2018, our colleagues at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin mailing new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare. Instead of a Social Security Number, the new card will have a Medicare Number that's unique to each person with Medicare. The new card will help protect identities and keep personal information more secure. Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same. Medicare will automatically mail new cards at no cost to...
Not since the “War of Northern Aggression” has the United States of America been less united than it is today. Watching the Democrats vigorous pouting during President Donald Trump's State of the Union message last month, the situation would have been funny had it not been more serious. It was almost as if Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had returned to life to sit in the Capitol, frowning and posturing as President Trump gave his “State of the Union” speech. As the public viewed...
“Rosie the Riveter” is an American icon representing women working in factories during World War II. These women learned new jobs and filled in for the men who were away at war. They produced much of the armaments and ammunition to supply the war effort. They also paid FICA on their wages, contributing to the Social Security program. These “Rosies” embodied the “can-do” spirit immortalized in a poster by J. Howard Miller. Both the image and the spirit live on today. If you asked Rosie about...
