📋 AARP Urges Outreach to Congress Over Social Security (AARP Article)

[SpringIsHereVA]

FROM THE ARTICLE: AARP Urges Members to Contact Congress Now to Protect Social Security.

Older Americans continue to raise concerns about payments, customer service.

By Andy Markowitz, AARP.

Published March 04, 2025.

As Social Security prepares to slash its workforce, AARP is urging its members to call on Congress to protect the program that provides crucial financial support to 68 million retirees, people with disabilities and members of their families.

“We’ve been hearing from thousands of older Americans across the country who are concerned and confused about their Social Security — will their payments come on time? Can they get timely answers to their questions?” says Nancy LeaMond, chief advocacy and engagement officer for AARP.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2025/call-on-congress-protect-social-security.ht...

[GAKKIEZ]

It's very frustrating to see AARP posting all these articles on the main website to focus on the issues of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Even the latest mailings from AARP are focused on this (with, of course, a request for a donation!)

I would rather see a focus on getting the Reconciliation Budget passed that will include NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY. This will save many seniors so much money!  I'm tired of being taxed on my Social Security because I planned and made sacrifices for my retirement and now am being unfairly taxed for it.

AARP can do better than just fear mongering!

[CarmenE673098]

This isn't fear mongering this is the awareness of the start of a direct attack on the benefits many of us have earned from working for 45 to 50 years.

You can worry about the Reconciliation Budget after the threat has been beaten back. The only way I see that happening is either to make Republican members of Congress fearful of losing their seats in Congress or actually voting them out in the mid-term.

[GAKKIEZ]

@CarmenE673098 I would rather see Democrats losing their seats since they are doing nothing!  The Democrats appear to be the ones failing their constituents with their blocks of any and all actions that actually make sense and have the majority of citizens approval. 

The majority of citizens are tired of the abuses and wasteful spending of the last administration.

[fffred]

I'm curious and would like some enlightenment. Why is there a push for no taxes on Social Security old age benefits?

I look at it as what makes us old geezers any better than younger people who are struggling as much as us, why should we pay no taxes? I don't understand. Can someone explain please?

[sktn77a]

It was a political stunt.  Sure, everyone wants more money but that isn't the way to do it.

[BalbonisMoleskine]

Often it's a feeling that "I paid taxes for decades, so I've paid my dues." Okay. So when your lifetime SS benefits reach the total that you paid in, why should younger people pay higher taxes to cover years or decades more?  

[GailL1]

@BalbonisMoleskine 

What you (and your employer) contributed isn't even in the computation of your benefits which is based on your earning over a lifetime (35 years, or less if you didn't make it that long).  

Somebody better at math than me would have to explain how this rate paid figures into the program.  

[BalbonisMoleskine]

https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/finance/social-security-imbalance-taxes-paid-vs-benefits-receiv... has a useful summary of the problem -- including for Medicare. For example:

"For a single male earning an average wage every year and who retired in 2020 at age 65, lifetime Social Security and Medicare benefits would equal about $640,000. However, total taxes paid in would be just less than $470,000 — a difference of $170,000. For a couple with one average earner and one low-wage earner, average benefits would total about $1.24 million, while taxes paid would be about $680,000. In this case, the difference is $560,000."

[GailL1]

@BalbonisMoleskine 

And that doesn't include the non working spouse, the dependent parents, the minor children or disabled children,  survivors benefits for not just the wife and possible minor or disabled kids but also DIVORCED spouses - maybe even several of them.  

Do you know what DAC benefits are ?  Disabled Adult Children - another dependent benefit that could last for years and years after the NH (number holder) has passed.  

Sure there is a family maximum but that's still 180% I think.  

[sktn77a]

Well, it's more than just "what you put in" - that money has compounded over a very long time span. 

The problem is that lifespans have increased since the program was started in 1934 (when average lifespan was a little over 60).  Today, average lifespans are over 80.  

[BalbonisMoleskine]

If taxes on SS are eliminated, then there will be even less money to pay you. Those taxes have been providing the Trust Fund with $40B-$50B annually the past few years. 

Let it go. 

[GailL1]

@SpringIsHereVA 

Not taking away any thunder here but even in 2023 and earlier we had some of the same problems with communicating with the SSA, with disability claims taking forever and other things - now the person saying that SSA is gonna end tomorrow was then in charge.  

SSA.gov - A More Efficient Social Security 

from the link 

Martin J. O’Malley was sworn in as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) on December 20, 2023.- the problems and his solution.

—————————-

Social Security is a complicated program.  The SSA also approves and administers Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - in fact many people don’t know which one they are on although completely different programs.  Everything goes out under the heading of the Social Security Administration and they don’t differentiate many times.

We need some forward looking thinkers here - we need some real changes to the working of the program - meaning in technology.

But on the other hand, the beneficiaries need to understand the programs better and where they can read the information instead of calling for everything.  

This is working more efficiently - using AI to help.  

But this still doesn’t solve the financial problems of the Social Security Trust Fund and the programs therein - 

[CarmenE673098]

You can forget about communicating, and a response when there is wholesale firings in a Department. Can you imagine morale right now? I've worked in a company that was downsizing. It is not a good environment for working efficiently.

The threat is political, and unnecessary. We all need to let those politicians on that side know our displeasure, and what we intend to do about it in 2026. 

If we are not unified on this one issue we will eventually be getting our benefit reduced. 

[SpringIsHereVA]

[Wednesday 3/5/25] Thanks for stopping by @GailL1 !!! To be honest, I am NOT sure IF the RETIREMENT Social Security System is FIXABLE. In my very humble opinion, it is time to DO something - seems alot of discussions, but NO action. Anyway, all we can do is have a BACKUP plan. That is what I told my only child, a daughter = DO NOT plan on RETIREMENT Social Security being around when she retires. With me at age 67 this year 2025, already retired - I am SAVING & SEEKING other income sources. As we AGE, our bodies NO longer lets us do CERTAIN things = need an Old Person set up. Good Luck everyone! Nicole  👵

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[*** @GailL1 wrote 3/5/25:

@SpringIsHereVA 

Not taking away any thunder here but even in 2023 and earlier we had some of the same problems with communicating with the SSA, with disability claims taking forever and other things - now the person saying that SSA is gonna end tomorrow was then in charge.  

SSA.gov - A More Efficient Social Security 

from the link 

Martin J. O’Malley was sworn in as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) on December 20, 2023.- the problems and his solution.

—————————-

Social Security is a complicated program.  The SSA also approves and administers Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - in fact many people don’t know which one they are on although completely different programs.  Everything goes out under the heading of the Social Security Administration and they don’t differentiate many times.

We need some forward looking thinkers here - we need some real changes to the working of the program - meaning in technology.

But on the other hand, the beneficiaries need to understand the programs better and where they can read the information instead of calling for everything.  

This is working more efficiently - using AI to help.  

But this still doesn’t solve the financial problems of the Social Security Trust Fund and the programs therein - ***]

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