5 Social Security Changes Coming in 2012

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Always amuses me when someone collecting benefits gripes about the hand that feeds them and people that work.
As retired military I get by, deal with multiple disabilities but do not collect Social Security despite being unable to work. I expect even though I paid into that system for decades I'll never see anything from SS since I received a notice to that effect after not working for several years. I have not even considered food stamps despite at times in my life foraging being the only way I could eat.
I take pride in my country and believe our President is doing very well considering what he had to work with..
It takes time to fix the HUGE MESS this country and the world faced from IRRESPONSIBLE GAMBLING in the UNMONITORED Financial sector. The Great Depression should have been a lesson on leaving the Financial Foxes in charge of the henhouse but apparently economic history and personal financial responsibility is NOT taught in Public Schools.
BTW the Civilian (pay into or go without care) HMO TRICARE that the military got stuck with after promises that the things that disabled me would be paid for in exchange for service to MY country is about to be EVEN MORE COSTLY for LESS care than civilians get because once again despite all the flag waving - when the "wars" are over military personnel and veterans are usually the first on the financial chopping block.
Seems profit seeking civilian contractors have more "pull" in Congress to profitably "take over" essential services such as medical services and "guarding" our military bases that will most likely fail in a crisis and to keep their cold war era material sales.
Civilians are held to a MUCH LOWER commitment standard. I'd Like to see them held to the UCMJ when they break any of those military laws and "cut and run".

CFD of MO 12:23PM May 14, 2012

To Lucy Brown --
This is quoted from the article, but I would verify with my Social Security rep, either in local office or live person by phone.
"Starting the month you turn your retirement age, there is no penalty for working and collecting Social Security benefits at the same time".

jrid of CA 12:03AM May 13, 2012

If a person is 70 yrs of age or older and wants to work how much can can he/she earn without penalty?

Lucy Brown of TX 5:38PM May 12, 2012

a bunch of mumbo jumbo as usual, WHY WOULD A PERSON MAKING $110,000.00 A YEAR NEED , SOCIAL SECURITY, AND ALL MY HUSBAND AND I MAKE ARE OUR SS CHECK FOR DISABILITY AND WE PAY HIGHER DOLLARS ON OUR MEDICAL NEEDS,YET CANNOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR FOOD STAMPS. YET SOMEWHERE IN YOUR BROKEN SYSTEM, PEOPLE ARE BREAKING THE SYSTEM WHILE MAKING $110,000.00 + AND TAKING A JOB, IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENCE IT'S WRONG....NOW MY HUSBAND WAS JUST DIAGNOUSED AS HAVING RYHMATOID ARTHRITIS AND NOW WE ARE EVEN MORE MEDICALLY DEPENDENT AND THE PARTISAN GOVERNMENT "IDIOTS"CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY. I CAN "FLAT TAX" NO DEDUCTIONS NO LOOP HOLES, NO EXTENTIONS NO APPEALS, JUST PLAY FAIR..LIKE WHEN WE WERE ON THE PLAYGROUND, WE RECOGNISED FAIR THEN! I WOULDN'T BE AROUND TO SEE WHAT THE "IDIOTS" FINALLY DO, AND THAT'S PROBABLY BEST.......OH AND BY THE WAY THE LATEST ON THE , "WHEN IS THE pRESIDENT GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ECONOMY"....THE NEWS REPORTS THAT FORD MOTOR CO. IS PROPOSING TO BUILD A FACTORY IN COMMUNIST CHINA AND GIVE THE CHINESE THE JOBS NOT AMERICANS, EXACTLY WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE PRESIDENT AND LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD?

Cheryl Douglass of AZ 5:04AM April 24, 2012

ssa still needs a lot of help too safe guard our senior, but pay increase help a lot an good health care too,if you lower there life style now what will the future be like for others?

edward nielsen of NV 11:32AM April 18, 2012

If SS is going broke, why in the world would the president stop the 6% tax that we are paying and drop it to 4%. This does not make any since. Looks to me like if the SS percentage is raised higher that it would help the system. I believe most people would agree to this. I have worked for 43 years and paid into the system at 6% I guess. When I see my SS statement and the amount that I have paid in and take it and divide it by the number of years that I may live, say to 90. I have ran out of money by then so, people living longer is wiping the system clean. SO, why not make the working people pay more into the system. I know there are people drawing off the system that has not put into the system and this also is bad news for the worker.

Ruffin of MS 7:03PM April 13, 2012

i think you should be able to recived social sucurity at the same rate any one eles do if you pay in to the s.s what the wrong with that i work two job all my life that i been able to work 31yrs at va hospital and 31yrs out side the va i am 60 yrs old went to thes.s office and was told i cant get the s.s at the rate of some one who did not work for the gov .because i work for them i get a cut rate thats not far i belive if you did not pay into s.s you should not get it put if you pay like me and have all the points you need them way no? its my money i pay into i should get it out .bad bad s.s

helena of MI 9:49AM April 13, 2012

When will a person on social security stop paying income tax on the ss and still work? When filing your taxes how will this be determined?

Betty Myers of GA 10:19AM April 12, 2012

I may be the only one, but I can not believe the writer of this article. The payroll deduction is not a tax but an insurance premium. For years this is what was preached from Washington, otherwise we would have been paying an income tax on a tax. It seems that our Government is telling us that Social Security is so well funded they do not need the revenue. If that is the case, what is all the fuss about Social Security. If that is not the case and our Representatives are lying to us then they should all be recalled and someone should initiate one of those class action suits against them and make our Lawyers even richer.

Jerry Curry of FL 4:16PM April 09, 2012

Don't forget about those forced to retire early by being declared "handicapped". I was just beginning a late career change and wow low monthly payments which will never increase--begain working at age 12; yes 12 with a work permit. So sad!

Judy O. of GA 2:49PM April 08, 2012