News

I've been listening to news stories about the Supreme Court case over the constitutionality of the healthcare reform law. Was Medicare affected in any way?.Surveys show a majority of Americans would like to see an increase in the Social Security payroll tax, but a new tax reform proposal would eliminate the 12.4 percent payroll tax altogether. This would end Social Security as we know it and transform it into a welfare program for older Americans. Do you support this drastic new proposal?.The fact that there are actually two Social Security trust funds is important when you break down the numbers behind the trust funds' cash deficits. According to the Social Security Trustees' "intermediate" projections, the OASI trust fund would run a cash deficit of billion in 2010, and the DI trust fund a billion cash deficit..for home care, adult day care, as well as assisted living and nursing home care..Seventy - nine percent of older Americans think the highest -earning workers should be paying Social Security taxes on all of their wages, just like other workers do, according to recent survey by The Senior Citizens League. "The issue is a top priority with older voters, many of whom are outraged at recent legislative proposals to cut Social Security benefits and cost-of-living adjustments," says Mary Johnson, a Social Security policy analyst for TSCL..The American Health Care Act will go next to the Senate. TSCL strongly opposes this legislation and is urging older Americans to contact their Members of Congress. To learn more, visit..At what age do you think most people retire? According to the Social Security Administration, the largest group retires at age 62 with reduced benefits! Only 4% wait to start benefits at 70, the age at which they would get the maximum amount. Could the fact that most people file for Social Security benefits so early be simply because they hear so often that they can do so at 62? Does 62 become a distorting anchor on our thinking?.In the months ahead, The Senior Citizens League will continue to advocate for these and other policy solutions that would strengthen and enhance Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries. For progress updates, follow The Senior Citizens League on Twitter..TSCL is fighting the plan to chain down COLAs. Indeed, seniors need a COLA that more adequately protects the buying power of Social Security, and TSCL supports H.R. 776, the Guaranteed 3% COLA Act, introduced by Representative Eliot Engel.