Share your concerns about Social Security

[AARPMiller]

1)     In the article,  Social Security Fears, many Social Security myths are addressed. What concerns you the most about Social Security? 

[starrlass]

On the monies going out - I am confused: How many folks are collecting Social Security Disability dishonestly? This includes those billboards in West VA whereby a lawyer offers to help people collect (hmmmm) to illegal immigrants coming in and getting on disability (can they?). I saw a YouTube called: Dearborne Michigan about all the (HAPPENS to be Moslems) coming here and going on Medicaid and Social Security, have 5 kids, driving Mercedes, refusing to learn the language....

SO QUestion: as we being taken for fools? I ASK this as I learn corporate America has massive age discrimination, I can NOT get hired back into my old career parth (this started at age 58 and I'm now 63) and so LOOKING at filing....to learn that BECAUSE Social Security is going broke, our professional career politicians passed something in the cloak of night that IF I make OVER poverty level, I have to pay BACK $1 for every $2 of social Security benefits I earn. REALLY? THIS IS EVIL, malfeasance, dispictable.....(BOTH sides of the aisle have allowed this - our "Professional Career politicians" ALL prance away multi-millionaires with guaranteed lifetime pensions and healthcare WHILE compromise OUR quality of income in old age???? Very angry. 

[mandm84]

After Trump " takes " Iraq's Oil , maybe he will put the profits into our S.S. War Chest !!!

[lc4113]

Why are all these comments ANTI democratic party??? Sounds like something going on that has a bad smell.....

[kleino]

You inherently argue for privatization so we could all invest our money in the S&P 500 or however we want.  I couldn't agree more and don't know why people are so adamant about the poor return they get under the current scenario. 

[wchrismer]

I have a question.  I have a Civil Service Retirement (CSRS) and I worked a part-time job during my working years to support my son after my divorce.  I am currently 69 years old.  I am remarried.  I collect my CSRS retirement now and 4 years ago wanted to start collecting social security.  I was told I could only collect an offset portion because of my CSRS retirment.  Originally it was supposed to be $1300 but now I only get $310.  This was not what I was counting on since the last three years of employment I made $52,000 and paid into SSA.  Is there any recourse?

[CaddyGrn]

I don't think there is any recourse... as a retired educator I am in the same boat.  Only get 25% of what was put in.  Thank that one to Ronald Reagan...didn't think we should "double dip".  The only recourse is to write to your senator and congress people and advocate to eliminate that blockage...  a lot of people find this out way after the fact, very unfair as many other government employees get both their full retirement benefits.  😞  Discrimination in my book.

[Svrlrr2008]

I have a question I have been married for6 years now my husband told me we will have to get divorced in the future to be able to claim befits. Him his and me mine is this true ? Really concerned about this. 

[GailL1]

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@Svrlrr2008 wrote:

I have a question I have been married for6 years now my husband told me we will have to get divorced in the future to be able to claim befits. Him his and me mine is this true ? Really concerned about this. 

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NO, it is not true.  Maybe he was just messin' with you ! ?   Married partners sometimes do that - Best to understand it yourself because it is YOUR benefit that each of you have supported (contributed to) through your working years.

But if a divorce rears its ugly head in the future, make sure you stay married at least 10 years, in case the spousal benefit is bigger than your own benefit.

At the 10 year marriage mark, Uncle Sam thinks each party is then vested.

[DanWass2016]

7/13/16....I'm absolutely appalled and angry @ our"supposed Legislators," and their cohorts, for allowing the American people (promised Soc.Sec. benefits by law) to be conned into thinking that there has been little or no COLA (related to the yearly CPI) increases on a regular basis. We have already passed years when we were given 0% increases, and many years of between 1% and 3% increases. This is an outrage. Everyone knows how costs increase yearly: Is there anyone out here with frozen rents and home insurance/ bills; frozen transportation costs; supermarket price freezes; and the list can go on and on and on!  So, for our government to claim that yearly Consumer Price Indexes (CPIs) are little or nothing, is a lesson in us being fooled into believing that we should be satisfied with the peanuts we do receive. It's all one big lie. I hope that AARP, as one of our few lobby groups, can effect some change in the future for seniors and retirees, such that we receive our promised benefits and possibly, some retroactive payments for years in which we were suckered out of money. I for one want to find other organizations with AARP who would fight for our rights, as we cannot gain any justice without large numbers of people who will be involved as a "strength in numbers" example.

Please spread the word to others, who may be able and willing to mobilize us, in this most important and pressing issue (among many!).

[sagebear]

LBJ used the SS monies for other purposes and it will never be paid back. The same as the highway

transportation monies and now our representives cry that the bridges and highways need repair.

Our congress and senate start with the right intentions, then join the old boys club and take of themselves and not the people that elected them. Whoops I thought the Clinton's were broke.

[vernon37]

recently I was forced to return to the work-force at 66 after 4 years of retirement and with Republicans in controle I will probly have to work till I die on the job It is a shame that the wealthyest country in the world forces it's seniour citizens to live in poverty there will be no Social security for our grand children 

[GailL1]

@DanWass2016

The Board of Labor Statistics figures the CPI each year; in fact, they do several different varieties.  The COLA for SS benefits are based on the CPI-U and includes most everything that a consumer has to have - including rent, or rent equivalence, food, transportation cost, medical cost, etc.  

in 2016, they began to give spending on medications a slightly larger weight.

All of these measures come from data they have collected on specific time frames during the year by surveys, and questionnaires from a targeted group.

if one of the items being analyzed goes up and anther goes down, they don't completely wipe each other but they do affect the bottom line.

We do have LOW inflation and have had for the 8 years.   The biggest culprit in 2016 was energy since the price of gas began to fall rather abruptly and energy prices have a high weight in the CPI computation.

IF in 2016, we had gotten a COLA, it would have been VERY meager and we would have also had an increase in our Part B Medicare premiums because of the "hold harmless" part of the law.  Those who were new to Medicare in 2016, have to pay more for their Part B premiums because these folks are not covered by the "hold harmless clause" - it only covers those who are already in the program from year to year.  For the rest of us ( those who were already on Medicare ), we are just floating our amount due.

It is not looking too good for a 2017 COLA either - the formula is set by law so it is not just an individual, a legislative branch or even our CEO ( President ) making the call.  

But if we do get a COLA for 2017 - most of it will be used to pay higher Part B premiums because Part B expenses have risen over the past 2 years.

So unless the COLA law is actually changed by Congress and signed by the President, we will continue along this path.  BTW, there are more benefits than just SS tied to this CPI - SSI, Veteran and Veteran Survivors, federal employees.

It is like the old adage - "you have to spend money, to make money" so we need people spending to heat up this economy but on the other hand, Uncle Sam wants to keep interest rates low because of the amount we have to pay on interest on our debt.  

An economic vicious cycle . . . . 

[tb6982285]

I need some assistance my fellow AARP's! I have been on SS since 62. I just turned 65 and I understand I can apply for a return of some of my reduced benefits since I applied at 62. What is the procedure for claiming a return of the reduced benefits? Thanks for your assistance!

[cat0w]

@tb6982285 Have you every visited the Social Security website? If not, then visit it now and under my Social Security create an account. If you can't find the information you want on their site then I suggest you call or visit your local Social Security office.

Posted by,
cat0w
Texas (USA)

[dp82921240]

I am an educator in Texas. When I moved here I was unaware of this windfall provision I'm very concerned that I will not be able to collect full Social Security benefits at age 66 presently I am 60 what can be done to change this provision?

[GailL1]

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@dp82921240 wrote:

I am an educator in Texas. When I moved here I was unaware of this windfall provision I'm very concerned that I will not be able to collect full Social Security benefits at age 66 presently I am 60 what can be done to change this provision?

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Here is the SSA pamphlet (2016) on the Windfall Elimination Provision

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf

There is logic in this computation of this reduction of the SS Old Age benefit; the way it is now computed or the way it was computed prior to 1986.

Simply put, you worked for a (government) employer that did NOT participate in the Social Security program during your working years with them.  That, in and of itself, reduces any SS benefit which you may have earned while working for an employer who DID participate in the Social Security system.

[GailL1]

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@tb6982285 wrote:

I need some assistance my fellow AARP's! I have been on SS since 62. I just turned 65 and I understand I can apply for a return of some of my reduced benefits since I applied at 62. What is the procedure for claiming a return of the reduced benefits? Thanks for your assistance!

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 If you applied for YOUR OWN benefits at 62 and have been receiving YOUR OWN (early reduced) benefits since then - there is no way to get a redo because that reduction will always be with you.

There use to be a way that you could pay back ALL the money and get a redo but that ended in (I think) 2012 and now you only have 12 month to perform this pay back and claim again.

[barbara5833]

Tell the house, et.al. to stop forcing seniors into poverty.

Some of us, myself included, must work for insurance...to pay rent, to eat...yet, my Social Security sets limits that makes me pay back monies I already earned!

My minimum wage job provides insurance til next year and I am ALLOWED Medicare - which will be deducted from my Social Security on top of the $128 they are deducting for THREE YEARS due to my making over $15,000 in 2014 - I may not afford my rent and may become homeless unless

I continue working for Walmart past 65 whether physically able or not....why doesn't someone care about us?

[pw34683518]

Once again the Republicon are  tryin to destory AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.  The bigest problem is that the   the Republicons really don't care if we live or die.  My sister has a racist white person working for her part-time. Now this lady likes  to talk about what Obamas not doing for her so she and her husbankd were  to proud to except any goverment help. Things got so bad for her and  husband  so she sign up for the Affordable Care and Food Stamps now they can eat and afford to go to the hospital It will be sad when so many Cancer patient loss their coverage. People haven't seen bad times YET!!  Let that racist Donald Trump get in the white house and this country will be FUK-up.

[dc51234209]

I heard disablity will be cut by 19% in October 2016. Is this true? How does a person survive on even less?

[GailL1]

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@dc51234209 wrote:
I heard disablity will be cut by 19% in October 2016. Is this true? How does a person survive on even less?

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The (2) year budget deal approved by bipartisan action in the senate at the end of 2015 fixed the problems for now but did nothing to fix both programs - OASI and SSDI - for the long term.

The Hill 10/26/2015 Budget Deal Includes Social Secrity, Medicare Reforms

The amount a beneficiary receives either from OASI or SSDI is based on their own work record,

figured In a more progressive fashion with lower income people getting more bang for their working years earned income as used in the benefits formula.

[skywatcher002]

Can anyone break down and explain the changes for 2016 that Congress passed and will be effective May 1st? It's very confusing. Does anyone understand this help? How does it affect a person at age 65? How does it affect a person at 866? How does it affect people on SSDI? Will our benefits drop?

[drawpoker]

Relax.   Despite what you may have heard the Sky Is Not Falling.

Read this and you will no doubt sleep better tonite. 

http://www.snopes.com/social-security-changes-may-2016/

(Hope you were not one of the ones mentioned who shelled out good money for fake and alarmist "newsletters" to protect yourself from the Coming "Financial Ruin"  ) 

[donpatters]

NO COLA FOR THE THIRD TIME DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF THE ONE WHO IS SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE NOW - WITH HIS FEET UP ON OUR DESK !!   Vote very carefully in November, Seniors !

[retiredtraveler]

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donpatters wrote:

NO COLA FOR THE THIRD TIME DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF THE ONE WHO IS SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE NOW - WITH HIS FEET UP ON OUR DESK !!   Vote very carefully in November, Seniors !

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   The president has nothing to do with the COLA. Please be very carefully informed, seniors.

[CaddyGrn]

It is the congress who is at fault, they can't get any business done as they are too busy blocking everything. I do not blame it on the President, he only signs the bills, not makes them.

[pc7497]

If I get married would I loose my survival benefits

[drawpoker]

Are you under age 60? 

If you are age 60 or older,  you can re-marry,  and not lose your survivor's benefits from your deceased spouse.

[sj4077]

That is insane. You shouldn't be allowed to collect on an ex's SS at all. That is bleeding money out of SS at a fast pace. If you remarry - no matter what age is even worse. If you have been divorced for 20 years you should not be entitled to an ex's SS.

[r431746r]

I agree 100% .  Why should an ex be able to collect based on the ex spouse SS?  My ex took off for Mexico after the divorce and I collected not one penny of child support for my 2 girls.  Now that I am retired he is back in the country and collecting SS based on all MY years of working!!  Is this right???!!!