5 Social Security Changes Coming in 2012

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To Cheryl Douglas: I feel sympathy that you are on disability and are having a hard time. But why do you think that people who have earned 110K and have paid into Social Security aren't entitled to be paid EARNED BENEFITS. It's my experience that many people receive Social Security Disability Benefits while they are still quite young and receive a disproportionate amount of money for what they have contributed. Your situation won't become one iota better if people who have earned more than you are cheated out of their Social Security benefits with such unfair laws as WEP. Try thinking clearly by looking beyond your pain. Repeal WEP now!

Mark of DC 3:28PM August 01, 2012

Let's get real. The so-called "Windfall" Elimination Provision (WEP) represents the EARNED BENEFITS that seniors have been CHEATED out of since 1983 when Congress decided to impose this hidden tax on a certain class of Americans through enactment of this law.
And if you want to talk about unfair government expenditures, look at: 4 Trillion dollars for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; billion upon billions given to South Korea annually for defense; billions for N. Korean food programs; 25 billion annually in foreign aid; 174,000 annual salaries for our congresspeople; Trillions in loan bailouts and subsidies for bankrupt private companies and foreign banks.
Let's be honest. Giving hard working American seniors the Social Security benefits they Earned through decades of labor is only fair.
Repeal WEP now!

mark of DC 3:21PM August 01, 2012

wake up America, if I make one milllion are more , I pay only on $110 ,000, the millions above that are SS tax free, talk about your 1%. take a real look at the tax code, 50 years ago the top 1% and the Fortune 500 paid 50+% of all Federal taxes, today that group pays about 22%, its the Middle and Uppeer Middle Class who pay taxes.

james a. gray of IL 2:09PM July 25, 2012

I have no respect for obama. If he is talking, he is lying. WEP & GPO should never have been created. It is a punishment to those of us who paid into Social Security and a Law Enforcement pension system. I am going to be penalized $400 per month thru SSA for having been a Police Officer and getting a $2000 per month pension. I paid into SSA just like everyone else and believe I should receive only that which I am qualified for. Repeal WEP & GPO. To Obama I say, shut up and do something besides playing golf and pandering to the liberals.

Sententia of CA 4:08PM July 21, 2012

Romney states he will not repeal WEP & GPO.
Obama says he wants to repeal WEP & GPO but, in actuality does nothing.
1. The Fraternal Order of Police strongly supports H.R. 1332/S. 2010, the “Social Security Fairness
Act,” which would repeal both the “Windfall Elimination Provision” (WEP) and the “Government
Pension Offset” (GPO) in current law. The WEP penalizes certain public employees who also worked in the private sector and paid into the Social Security system, through a substantial reduction in their benefits, because they also collect a government pension. The GPO provision in current law causes the reduction or elimination of the spouse’s or widow(er)’s benefit from Social Security by two-thirds of the monthly amount received from the government pension. Are you a cosponsor of this legislation? If elected, will your Administration actively support its enactment and will you sign the bill if it is passed by Congress?
OBAMA: Throughout my career, I have stood with law enforcement. And I will never forget that the members of the Secret Service, including its uniformed division, put their lives on the line to protect my family and me. Even in tough economic times, when tough budget choices are needed, I have insisted on protecting proven efforts to support law enforcement and combat crime. My support for the men and women who put their lives on the line will never waiver.
The Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset raise important questions of fairness. A broader set of reforms are needed to strengthen Social Security for future generations. I support eliminating these two provisions within a comprehensive effort to reform Social Security to ensure that state and local employees are treated fairly.
NOTE: President Obama DID NOT take one action to repeal WEP/GPO while in office. In other words, he lied.
ROMNEY: Providing for the elderly is a bedrock commitment of our society, and both Social Security and government employee pension programs must be able to meet that obligation for generations to come. Unfortunately, today’s Social Security program is unsustainable over the long-term and defined benefit pensions are placing significant strain on government budgets. I am strongly committed to preserving Social Security for today’s seniors, who have planned their retirement around the program’s benefits. But I do not believe that it would be fiscally responsible to pursue policies that would increase Social Security liabilities.
NOTE: In other words, under Romney, NO REPEAL of WEP/GPO is ever going to happen.

Karen Thompson of IA 2:18PM July 19, 2012

CFD wrote "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.."
RESPONSE TO CFD: CFD, I'm not sure what you're saying??? You don't collect disability benefits or Social Security, yet you get by? How? By foraging for food? You apparently live under a bridge yet you support President Obama. Why?
And you say you are amused that people who collect benefits and that they are biting "the hand that feeds them." I think you got it reversed. We feed the government with our tax dollars and the government screws us out of our EARNED Social Security benefits with such unfair laws as WEP and GPO. You need to do some more thinking on the subject.

Mike of DC 2:56AM June 05, 2012

Unless Obama successfully he repeals WEP and GPO before November 2012 - like he promised to do - he's going to lose millions of votes. We don't like being lied to.

Mike of DC 2:47AM June 05, 2012

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