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Said TSCL Chairman Ralph McCutchen, "We've gotten much accomplished this trip and received plenty of good news as far as getting more support for our concerns. We were able to show the Members of Congress we met with that living proof of the Notch does exist and reform is needed sooner rather than later.".Fifty-six percent of participants in a national survey by The Senior Citizens League say they pay taxes on their Social Security benefits. "The tax on Social Security income takes new retirees by surprise," says TSCL Chairman Ed Cates. "This is one retirement expense that must be carefully planned for. The government today taxes the Social Security benefits of a majority of older adults, even people with very modest middle incomes," he notes..If you would like to continue receiving these press releases via email, please send your email address to [email protected] Cuts to Payroll Tax would Devastate Social Security/Medicare.The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services continued its preparation effort for the new health care law by announcing Marilyn Tavenner as its new top official. The move comes as the organization seeks to increase insurance industry oversight amid the overhaul process. Tavenner replaces Donald M. Berwick..Why Did I Open This Refrigerator And What Are My Glasses Doing In There?.Costofliving adjustments are falling to anemic lows again in 201Seniors and the disabled will learn the 2013 increase on October 16, 2012, but TSCL expects the increase will be about 1.1%. That would raise the average monthly benefit .80 from ,126 to ,141.80 hardly enough to offset big expected spikes in food costs which are rising twice as fast. The rapid increase in home heating fuels and prescription drug costs also outstrips the COLA as well..Although there's a new higher standard deduction for U.S. taxpayers this year, tax professionals are cautioning taxpayers against automatically taking it. The 2017 tax legislation retains the deduction for medical expenses. This year, taxpayers can deduct medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of their Adjusted Gross Income, but that threshold will rise to 10% of the AGI in 2019, so taxpayers won't be able to deduct as much. It would be a good idea to crunch the numbers now, to learn if itemizing and the medical expense deduction would reduce your taxes..Increase the payroll taxable maximum to cover all earnings. Currently high - income workers pay no Social Security taxes on earnings over 8,500. That means someone earning 0,000 stopped paying Social Security taxes at the end of March while middle and low - income earners continue to pay Social Security taxes on all their earnings, all year long. This one change alone would bolster both the disability and retirement program for decades to come.