Just when the Social Security Agency finally had a progressive, engaged commissioner in former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland, he’s gone. Effective November 29th Martin O’Malley is resigning to run for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Among other positive changes made during O’Malley’s all too brief tenure as commissioner was modification of…
The annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) for more than 72.5 million Social Security and SSI recipient for 2025 will be 2.5% as inflation comes under control. The COLA for 2024 was 3.2%. The average retiree will receive $48 more per month next year. The earnings limit for workers younger than full retirement age will…
Summer 2021 Newsletter STILL STANDING…AND PRACTICING I published the first issue of Social Security & You in Spring of 1993. Some years I’ve published more issues than others. The most recent issue was dated Spring 2019: over 2 years ago. The world was a much different place then. Especially for me. Read the full newsletter…
Spring 2019 Newsletter An Opioid Story I’ve changed his name. Let’s call him Gerald. He was a laborer. And by that I don’t mean that he just did physical work. He was a card-carrying member the Labor’s Union local. And that meant a lot to him. I represented him for Social Security disability and Michigan…
After his re-election in 2004, President George W. Bush made reforming Social Security his #1 domestic agenda. He proposed phasing out Social Security in favor of individual retirement accounts that could be invested in the stock market.
Despite a strong push by lobbyists for the investment industry, the support both publicly and in Congress was lacking and the proposal went nowhere.
Now former Vice-President, Mike Pence, who may be taking a run at the Republican nomination for President himself, is raising the issue again.
House Republicans who have taken control of the lower house of Congress have floated the idea of cuts to the popular federal program, despite polling which shows the concept remains unpopular.
Former President, Donald Trump, opposes the idea, stating recently “Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security”.
The Republican Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, supported raising the retirement age for Social Security when he was in Congress.