News

Every day, thousands of our neighbors and friends protect our cities, educate our students, and provide crucial services to our communities. While these public servants have made careers out of giving back, our federal government unfortunately uses antiquated policies to take back the benefits that these workers have earned..The problem is well known, but so far Congress has taken no action to address it. The Medicare Trustees have for years described in their annual report how rising Medicare costs will take an ever-growing portion of Social Security benefits. They estimate that Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, as well as cost sharing for both programs, currently equals just 24 percent of the level of the average Social Security benefit. But that estimate does not include many of the typical Medicare costs that most retirees actually have, and thus understates the scope of the problem. The findings based on your participation in TSCL's annual Senior Survey is proof of that..This week, appropriators in the House and Senate revealed a unique proposal to prevent a government shutdown on December 11th. It would fund the entire federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year, except for the Department of Homeland Security. That agency would only receive funding through the next three months, which should buy lawmakers enough time to solidify a legislative response to President Obama's recent immigration orders..June 2006.While the additional payroll tax went directly to the Part A Trust Fund, the 3.8% "Medicare" net investment tax was never transferred to Part A. It wound up going straight into the U.S. General Fund where it could be appropriated for any government spending..and would reduce the tax on Social Security benefits for older taxpayers with incomes below ,000, and 0,000..Supreme Court: Mandate Penalty is Tax, Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, June 28, 2012..When it comes to the big drug companies, they do not want limits on the costs of the drugs they manufacture. That is why they make so many campaign contributions..A major factor in delaying Social Security is your life expectancy, and the age at which you would come out ahead. Chances are you would be ahead by your early 80s. Average life expectancy for men is 84 and nearly 87 for women, and more people these days are living well into their 90s.