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  • Usmexico Social Security Treaty Must Be Opposed

    An Alzheimer's diagnosis is life-changing not only for those with the disease, but for their friends, family and loved ones. For caregivers, looking after a parent or spouse with Alzheimer's impacts the entire family, as advanced stages of the disease requires round-the-clock attention. Thanks to the work of groups like the Alzheimer's Association, individuals impacted by Alzheimer's can get the help they need, from advice on caregiving to support groups, navigating the healthcare system and learning about new clinical trials. In September, I participated in an event hosted by the Alzheimer's Association's Greater Illinois Chapter to discuss the rising number of Americans affected by the disease, the escalating costs associated with treating patients, and the important strides clinical research is making today that give us all reason for optimism. These open dialogue and brainstorming sessions are a critical step in the fight against Alzheimer's. .A husband's death can mean enormous financial hardship for women. Under current law it generally means a big drop in Social Security income, going from two Social Security payments each month to just one. When the husband passes away, the widow gets a benefit that's 100% the amount the deceased spouse was entitled to, if higher than her own retirement benefit. For example, if the couple received a combined benefit of ,400 per month, and the husband's benefit is ,600, then the widow would just get the ,600 and lose her own 0 per month in benefits. .This article focuses on immediate annuities that provide income that starts right away, and lasts over your entire lifetime. (There are deferred annuities that younger investors purchase for later payouts. This type often has a reputation for high sales costs and poor investment performance and is not the topic of this article.) … Continued

  • Category Issues Totalization Articles Page 3

    Indeed, during the 2005 debate over Social Security reform, one of the leading proposals would make changes to the benefit formula similar to those made in 197The proposal would tie the calculation of the initial retirement benefit to changes in price inflation. According to an analysis of a leading proposal by the Congressional Budget Office, when benefits are charted on a graph as shown here, they illustrate a "precipitous decline" in benefits and an all too familiar "V" shaped Notch. .Regarding Social Security, TSCL was pleased to see that the President's proposal did not include the "chained" CPI, as it did last year. Many in Congress were also relieved by its absence. Shortly after the blueprint was released, Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) – founder of the Defending Social Security Caucus – said, "I am especially proud that the President did not renew his proposal to cut Social Security benefits. With … more people living in poverty than ever before, we cannot afford to make life even more difficult for seniors." .In 2008, an audit by the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Inspector General found that spouses did not always receive the higher retirement benefits due them. Although 18,768 spouses were identified as eligible for higher retirement benefits in that audit and the SSA developed a notification letter, the agency took no further action to notify beneficiaries – citing "limited resources." As a result, these spouses never received the higher retirement benefits for which they were eligible. … Continued

There will likely be court challenges to the President's actions, making it unclear how quickly any money would reach the unemployed. On top of that, it is unclear how many states will want to participate in this enhanced unemployment program or how many companies will want to suspend payroll taxes for employees only to have to pay them in 2021. .The subcommittee's bill would repeal the formula and replace it with an enhanced fee-for-service system, while also allowing doctors to opt-out and participate in alternative payment models that emphasize quality. The bill was overwhelmingly approved by a voice vote on Tuesday, but much work remains to be done. Lawmakers have not yet determined how they will offset the full cost of the bill, although it does currently include funding for some provisions by authorizing transfers from the Medicare Part B Trust Fund. .The age at which you start receiving Social Security benefits. .In other words, next year's COLA could be calculated based at least in part on guesses. That could be disastrous for seniors. .Social Security policy analyst and Advisor editor Mary Johnson finds the average monthly rate of increase for the past 12 months. This rate of inflation is added to the current month, and each subsequent month through to September, in order to project inflation in those months. The SSA's COLA formula takes the third quarter data (July/August/September) and finds the average for the quarter. That is then compared that with the third quarter average from one year ago, and the percentage of difference is determined. That percentage of difference is the amount that the COLA would increase. .Instead, locality pay increases are intended to keep the salaries of current federal workers competitive with private sector jobs in the same locality pay area. The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures non-federal compensation in a particular market and compares it to federal pay for federal employees who perform similar work in the same region. The gap between the two helps determine the locality pay adjustment for a specific area in a given year. .Until then, TSCL will continue to monitor the movement of President Obama's immigration orders closely, since they could significantly affect the Social Security and Medicare programs if implemented. We will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. .House members are increasingly feeling the effects of a five percent budget cut passed last year. Already tight budgets have forced drastic reductions in the number of salaried positions and could reduce the amount of services provided. .2017 Loss of Buying Power Report