Retirement benefits

The number of credits you need to get retirement benefits depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work) ...

Compliance assistance information about retirement benefits. ... Most private sector pension plans are covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ...

Retirement benefits are based on a percentage of current salary of the last judicial office held. ... Disability retirement for members who can no longer perform their ...

IRS Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits ... 1 railroad retirement benefits and special guaranty benefits shown on ...

Frequently Asked Questions about Retirement Benefits. Answers to frequently asked ... How do I plan to provide benefits to my survivors after my death? ...

Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress. Updated February 9, 2007 ... Retirement System Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-335). Members of Congress first elected in 1984 or ...

The Retirement Benefits Calculator is designed to project retirement benefits for most of our members. ... Calculate your formula retirement benefit accurately if you terminated ...

I was born in Mexico and became a U.S. citizen at age 18, and now that I'm 66 I put in for my social security benefits and so far Social Security has denied my claim stating I need proof of Legal presence ??? The only proof I have is my original U.S. citizenship papers, but so far Social Security say's that it's not enough ??? I've had numerous jobs , I'm a licensed architect, and have studied in the U.S. and have a B.S. degree. What Can be done at this point ??

The Dinner Roll .. Once upon a time I was invited to the White House for a private dinner with the President. I am a respected businessman, with a factory that produces memory chips for computers and portable electronics. There was some talk that my industry was being scrutinized by the administration, but I paid it no mind. I live in a FREE country. There's nothing that the government can do to me if I've broken no laws. My wealth was EARNED honestly, and an invitation to dinner with an American President is an honor. I checked my coat, was greeted by the Chief of Staff, and joined the President in a yellow dining room. We sat across from each other at a table draped in white linen. The Great Seal was embossed on the china. Uniformed staff served our dinner. The meal was served, and I was startled when my waiter suddenly reached out, plucked a dinner roll off my plate and began nibbling it as he walked back to the kitchen.. "Sorry 'bout that," said the President. "Andrew is very hungry." "I don't appreciate..." I began, but as I looked into the calm brown eyes across from me, I felt immediately guilty and petty. It was just a dinner roll. "Of course," I concluded, and reached for my glass. Before I could, however, another waiter reached forward, took the glass away and swallowed the wine in a single gulp. "And his brother, Eric, is very thirsty," said the President. I didn't say anything. The President is testing my compassion, I thought. I withheld my comments and decided to play along. I don't want to seem unkind.. My plate was whisked away before I had tasted a bite. "Eric's children are also quite hungry." With a lurch, I crashed to the floor. My chair had been pulled out from under me. I stood, brushing myself off angrily, and watched as it was carried from the room. And their grandmother can't stand for long." I excused myself, smiling outwardly, but inside feeling like a fool. Obviously I had been invited to the White House to be sport for some game. I reached for my coat, to find that it had been taken. I turned back to the President. "Their grandfather doesn't like the cold." I wanted to shout, "that was my coat!" But again, I looked at the placid smiling face of my host and decided I was being a poor sport. I spread my hands helplessly and chuckled. Then I felt my hip pocket and realized my wallet was gone. I excused myself and walked to a phone on an elegant side table. I learned shortly that my credit cards had been maxed out, my bank accounts emptied, my retirement and equity portfolios had vanished, and my wife had been thrown out of our home. Apparently, the waiters and their families were moving in. The President hadn't moved or spoken as I learned all this, but finally I lowered the phone into its cradle and turned to face him. "Andrew's whole family has made bad financial decisions. They haven't planned for retirement and they need a house. They recently defaulted on a subprime mortgage. I told them they could have your home. They need it more than you do." My hands were shaking. I felt faint I stumbled back to the table and knelt on the floor. The President cheerfully cut his meat, ate his steak, and drank his wine. I lowered my eyes and stared at the small grey circles on the tablecloth that were water drops. "By the way," he added, "I have just signed an Executive Order nationalizing your factories. I'm firing you as head of your business. I'll be operating the firm now for the benefit of all mankind. There's a whole bunch of Erics and Andrews out there and they can't come to you for jobs groveling like beggars...we need to spread YOUR wealth around..." I looked up. The President dropped his spoon into the empty ramekin which had been his crème Brule. He drained the last drops of his wine. As the table was cleared, he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair. He stared at me. I clung to the edge of the table as if it were a ledge and I were a man hanging over an abyss. I thought of the years behind me, of the life I had lived. The life I had earned with a lifetime of work, risk and struggle. Why was I punished? How had I allowed it to be taken? What game had I played and lost? I looked across the table and noticed with some surprise that there was no game board between us. What had I done wrong? As if answering the unspoken thought, President Obama suddenly cocked his head, locked his empty eyes to mine, and bared a million teeth, chuckling wryly as he folded his hands. "You should have stopped me at the dinner roll," he said.

I got this email twice early this am. You would think an IT company would have a website. Our company is glad to offer you a job as an Assistant Manager. We believe that your knowledge, skills and experience will be among our most precious assets. Our company is famous for its effective solutions in creating, software integration and its administration. Our chief field of work is Internet. We work for our clients, living in various places all over the world. IT Ltd is mostly concerned with web application development and software development. Also the company pays much attention to more efficient options, fulfilling web design projects for the customers on web design, helps to arrange work with affiliates. Our company is aimed at developing sound, yet easy and effortless solutions for all our clients. The biggest number of customers is represented by USA consumers. Description of the offered position : Promotion support Working out tax reports and reports of internal use Studying and determination of ways of solution Announcement of information to clients Keeping correspondence Estimation, organization, keeping up and exploration of complex data Organization of payoffs straight from clients to employees using money transfer systems Looking after expenses of the company Performing administration work Conference calls arrangement with meeting organization Our Assistant Manager must have brilliant communication skills and being proficient in the following field: Computer skills and typesetting Skilled usage of Microsoft Word, Excel Working hours are 9a.m. to 1p.m. Should you accept this job offer, per company policy you'll be eligible to receive the following beginning on your hire date. Salary: for 2 weeks of training|trial) period - 1800 USD for a full-time position - 4500 USD per month, paid in biweekly installments by direct deposit Benefits package: 401k retirement account Health, dental, life and disability insurance Sick leave Vacation and personal days Income protection plans for employees. To accept this job offer please let us know the following details: 1. Enter your name completely: 2. We need to know your full address: 3. Cell is necessary to contact you: 4. Home phone number: 5. Your e-mail for a quick contact: We at IT Ltd hope that you'll accept this job offer and look forward to welcoming you aboard. IT Ltd is ready to show you the world outside and provide you with unique opportunities to live the way you deserve. Sincerely, Hiring Coordinator, HR Department. IT Ltd.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/53185.html Here's a quote from the link: "It seems to me that the budget deficit/national debt issue boils down to two things. You have AARP with Social Security and Medicare in one corner and the War Machine/Israel/Religious Right in the other corner. SS/M is a huge future drain on the system and the War Machine is a huge current drain on the system. Politicians must have AARP’s vote numbers and volunteerism to win and they must have the War Machine’s money to win. If hyperinflation is the one thing no politician can deal with, a choice is going to have to be made. By definition, AARP means you have a limited time left as either a taxpayer or as a benefit eater. I think AARP is going to be the loser. SS/M will start to be means-tested, and eventually reduced and done away with. Politicians can replace votes; they can’t replace money. Most of them follow the script that WWII is what got us out of our last Depression anyway. As a 49 year old, I can tell you that my generation and younger generations don’t expect anything out of the retirement system anyway. I just view it as having paid more taxes that vaporized into the ozone." Who will be the losers when the debt crisis arrives? Will it be AARP with its Social Security and Medicare programs or will it be the Military/Israel/Religious Right with its perpetual wars? Is there any chance that both could lose?

What will be the best retirement plan, as I am not having any Family pension or provident fund or retirement benefits.Consider a monthly salary of Indian rupees 75000/.Pl. suggest with personal experience with details.I am having 22,20 years old son both about to complete studies and 9 years old daughter.

i won't get it. read the following. Please star this question and ask others to respond Social Security to start cashing Uncle Sam's IOUs By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 14 mins ago PARKERSBURG, W.Va. – The retirement nest egg of an entire generation is stashed away in this small town along the Ohio River: $2.5 trillion in IOUs from the federal government, payable to the Social Security Administration. It's time to start cashing them in. For more than two decades, Social Security collected more money in payroll taxes than it paid out in benefits — billions more each year. Not anymore. This year, for the first time since the 1980s, when Congress last overhauled Social Security, the retirement program is projected to pay out more in benefits than it collects in taxes — nearly $29 billion more. Sounds like a good time to start tapping the nest egg. Too bad the federal government already spent that money over the years on other programs, preferring to borrow from Social Security rather than foreign creditors. In return, the Treasury Department issued a stack of IOUs — in the form of Treasury bonds — which are kept in a nondescript office building just down the street from Parkersburg's municipal offices. Now the government will have to borrow even more money, much of it abroad, to start paying back the IOUs, and the timing couldn't be worse. The government is projected to post a record $1.5 trillion budget deficit this year, followed by trillion dollar deficits for years to come. Social Security's shortfall will not affect current benefits. As long as the IOUs last, benefits will keep flowing. But experts say it is a warning sign that the program's finances are deteriorating. Social Security is projected to drain its trust funds by 2037 unless Congress acts, and there's concern that the looming crisis will lead to reduced benefits. "This is not just a wake-up call, this is it. We're here," said Mary Johnson, a policy analyst with The Senior Citizens League, an advocacy group. "We are not going to be able to put it off any more." For more than two decades, regardless of which political party was in power, Congress has been accused of raiding the Social Security trust funds to pay for other programs, masking the size of the budget deficit. Remember Al Gore's "lockbox," the one he was going to use to protect Social Security? The former vice president talked about it so much during the 2000 presidential campaign that he was parodied on "Saturday Night Live." Gore lost the election and never got his lockbox. But to illustrate the government's commitment to repaying Social Security, the Treasury Department has been issuing special bonds that earn interest for the retirement program. The bonds are unique because they are actually printed on paper, while other government bonds exist only in electronic form. They are stored in a three-ring binder, locked in the bottom drawer of a white metal filing cabinet in the Parkersburg offices of Bureau of Public Debt. The agency, which is part of the Treasury Department, opened offices in Parkersburg in the 1950s as part of a plan to locate important government functions away from Washington, D.C., in case of an attack during the Cold War. One bond is worth a little more than $15.1 billion and another is valued at just under $10.7 billion. In all, the agency has about $2.5 trillion in bonds, all backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. But don't bother trying to steal them; they're nonnegotiable, which means they are worthless on the open market. More than 52 million people receive old age or disability benefits from Social Security. The average benefit for retirees is a little under $1,200 a month. Disabled workers get an average of $1,100 a month. Social Security is financed by payroll taxes — employers and employees must each pay a 6.2 percent tax on workers' earnings up to $106,800. Retirees can start getting early, reduced benefits at age 62. They get full benefits if they wait until they turn 66. Those born after 1960 will have to wait until they turn 67. Social Security's financial problems have been looming for years as the nation's 78 million baby boomers approached retirement age. The oldest are already there. As that huge group of people starts collecting benefits — and stops paying payroll taxes — Social Security's trust funds will shrink, running out of money by 2037, according to the latest projection from the trustees who oversee the program. The recession is making things worse, at least in the short term. Tax receipts are down from the loss of more than 8 million jobs, and applications for early retirement benefits have spiked from older workers who were laid off and forced to retire. Stephen C. Goss, chief actuary for the Social Security Administration, says the crisis has been years in the making. "If this helps get peop

If I do not reach the age to collect Social Security Benefit which is 65 year, and I become disable at age 50. What kind of benefit would I be collecting? Would it be early Social Security Benefit or SSI? Please explain this to me. Thanks.

I have seen on tax forms, Social Security forms, etc a question that says something along the lines of "Have you or a spouse worked as a Railroad worker between 1937-1950?" I'm paraphrasing, but that's close enough. I tried to look it up online but all I saw was a Social Security pamphlet explaining benefit details, etc. But what I really want to know is, Why is this question on forms? What happened or applies to railroad workers between 1937 & 1950 that gives them a special circumstance? Thanks to anyone who can demystify this for me!

Most Americans are divided today. Liberals vs. Conservatives, Hippies vs. Suits, the list of polarities is endless. George Washington warned us about the European bankers intent to use this type of division to distract us and prevent us from focusing on the priority of watching over our government. Most of us agree the U.S. government is a corrupt structure and a growing number understand how the European bankers have manipulated our Federal Reserve, and central banks of most nations, to control us, bankrupt us and steal our property, or as Jefferson said "Your children will wake up homeless in the fields of the nation your fathers conquered." Many people propose riots, civil unrest etc., and many radio and web hosts are revealing these trends, but talking about it doesn't solve the problem. It will require action and soon - we are a bankrupt nation today where 80% of stimulus for renewable energy went to foreign corporations instead of to U.S. communities to create jobs and reduce our reliance on oil. This is just one area our leaders have failed - the list is growing and even folks like Willie Nelson and Jessie Ventura know it. The question becomes "How do we correct the course of our nation without a violent revolt?" Voting and waiting 4 - 6 years is far too slow, and the train wreck economy and looming fiscal disaster is at our door - it surrounds each of us every day. This question, above all others, to me anyway, is the most important question of the 20th and 21st century, both for our nation and the planet; for without answering this first, nothing else mankind does will matter much. Its not likely the bankers, oil, chemical and drug companies are going to manage the global environment, our water supplies, standard of living, retirement accounts, oceans and habitats for the benefit of humanity and other species. They've failed miserably in their half-hearted attempts thus far, but for us to care for our nation and planet, we need to be solvent, continue to learn and become more enlightened - as our founding fathers had hoped - and therefore, if we are to cure our nation's ills and help heal a torn planet, I believe we are going to have to start with Washington, our State Governments and local governments with a rapid series of reforms that are mandated - demanded - by citizens. The critical word - "rapid" - isn't in the vocabulary of most politicians at the Federal level - which means the word "revolt" will soon be the word of the day. To me, this is a step backwards, an admission of our failure as citizens and prima facie evidence of the failure of our leaders to create and manage a sustainable, "enlightened" government. Is there an alternative to armed insurrection and revolt to "take our nation back", or is this the natural course of history - as also predicted by Jefferson? It is not true that a government - any government - can stop a mass movement. It is true that they can disrupt small groups. However a large, UNITED, coordinated citizen body is without any solution except to either heed their will - or slaughter them - which in theory would enrage those remaining, and thereby trigger the revolt this question aims to avoid, as I do not believe destructive violence is the best course of action. It would indict us all as animals, incapable of resolving this within the framework of the "enlightened" government structure we are blessed to have. How do we work within the system we have without destroying the fabric of our nation or pressing our leaders to turn our own military against us? (which begs another question indeed).

Also I want to calculate life insurance benefits. Please suggest me a best one.

The baby boomers are nearing retirement age. Social Security and Medicare funds are getting low. The only way to satisfactorily to pay for it all is to raise taxes. A lot of taxes. Congress and the president can't reduce the benefits by much because all the baby boomers and older Americans are pretty faithful about voting. So if any congressman wants to stay in office he better not vote to reduce benefits too much.

Ok i have asked this before in a different way and i am asking again maybe someone can give me some insight. I know about the VA and we have a lawyer we see tomorrow but i was just trying to get and idea. We are worried about keeping our medical right now were sitting at80% disability rating with 75% of our base pay on temporary retirement where he will have to go in every 18 months for review and it can get changed. I know you keep you medical benefits at where we are sitting now what is the lowest rating you can go to for your disability rating i think it is 30% and still keep your medical benefits. I know if you get less than 30% they give you a pat on the back and a severance package but over i believe you keep your benefits. Am i wrong does anyone know because i cannot seem to find it in any info about it anywhere. Oh also does anyone know if we keep our dental?? HELP PLZ!

My husband and I were living together in the same home when he retired and I was excluded from his social security and medicare benefits because i have not reach retirement age yet. I wanted to file head of household on my tax return because it was clear to me that I am on my own but mainly because we have minor children in the home and need the credits.. I was told I could not do so because my husband had to be living out of the home for 6 months..? Since that is one of the test that must be met and requires that we have "a separate maintanace decree" I just could not understand why the IRS and S.S. don't know or understand that they already seperated us.If we file married , they go in and recalculate our taxes by using my little gov. pension to see how much his S.S. is taxable and I don't think that is fair either since I do not share in any of his benefits. Neither of us have outside jobs. Do you think this "wifeless" S.S.entitlement letter my husband received for himself "only" is considered a "seperate maintanance decree"? Is this one of the reasons seniors would get divorced in their retirement" Shame !Shame!

My father, 51, had been an hourly worker in a machine shop of for 21 years and four months. On a Christmas holiday, he suffered a severe heart attack and was hospitalized for three weeks. At his release, his doctor said he was to rest at home for a couple of months. After his recuperation period, his doctor, along with his company’s physicians, was to decide whether or not my father should retired for disability reasons. They never got the opportunity to make this decision; in February, my father died of a second heart attack. He left my mother, four sons, two daughters and two-daughters in-law. His wife, my mother, still had four children at home. As part of my father's estate, my mother received the normal group insurance payments, the balance of his savings plan account, and the other benefits due her. However, my mother did not receive a pension from the company as a survivor of an eligible employee. When my mother and the company representatives had discussed the settlement, my mother had inquired about my father's pension and about my mother's right to receive it. The human resource department had stated that since contributions to this fund were made only by the company, no survivor’s benefits were provided. 1.What do you think my mother should do at this point? 2.What does the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 have to say about this issue?

I worked in NYC as stated above. The co. was dismantled. Their headquarters also at 195 Broadway. I would like to apply for my retirement benefits and cannot reach the correct # or person. I have searched extensively. Please help. Thank you.

I heard that a person can retire and receive early social security before the average age of retirement if he's contributed twenty somewhat years. Does anyone know the details?

Individual Tax Cuts: 1. "Making Work Pay" Tax Credit (Sec. 1001, Page 195). In tax years 2009 and 2010, the Making Work Pay provision will provide a refundable tax credit of 6.2 percent of earned income up to $400 for individuals and up to $800 for married taxpayers filing joint returns. 2. Increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit (Sec. 1002, Page 198). Go to the stimulus bill for all the details, but it essentially expands this benefit for the working poor. 3. Increased Eligibility for the Refundable Portion of Child Credit (Sec. 1003, Page 199). In 2009 and 2010, families who don’t earn enough to pay income tax would be eligible to claim the $1,000 child credit. 4. "American Opportunity" Education Tax Credit (Sec. 1004, Page 199). Increases the Hope Scholarship Credit to $2,500. 5. Refundable First-time Home Buyer Credit. (Sec. 1006, Page 202). This extended and increased the first-time home buyer tax credit from $7,500 to $8,000. 6. Temporary Suspension of Taxation of Unemployment Benefits (Sec. 1007, Page 203). This exempts from taxable gross income the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits. 7. Tax Credits for Energy-Efficient Improvements to Existing Homes (Sec. 1121, Page 208). This provides up to a $1,500 tax credit for qualified energy efficiency improvements. 8. Sales Tax Deduction for Vehicle Purchases (Sec. 1008, Page 203). This allows people to write off state and local sales taxes related to the purchase of a new vehicle costing up to $49,500. 9. Premium Credits for COBRA Continuation Coverage for Unemployed Workers (Sec. 6432, Page 348) 10. Economic Recovery Credits to Recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement and Veterans Disability Compensation Benefits (Sec. 2201, Page 336). This was a $250 payment for senior citizens, disabled veterans and disabled people living on Social Security benefits. 11. Computers as Qualified Education Expenses in 529 Education Plans (Sec. 1005, Page 202). This allows college students to write off the expense of computers and software, provided it's for educational purpose and not for games. 12. Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Credit (Sec. 1141, Page 212). Allows purchasers of plug-in electric vehicles to write off up to $5,000 of their purchase (depending on the power of the battery). 13. Tax Parity for Transit Benefits (sec. 1151, Page 219). This relates to an increased exclusion amount for commuter transit benefits and transit passes. 14. Health Coverage Tax Credit Expansion (Sec. 1899, Page 309). Small Business Tax Cuts: 1. Extension of Enhanced Small Business Expensing (Sec. 1202, Page 221). This is a temporary increase in limitations on expensing some depreciable business assets. 2. 5-Year Carryback of Net Operating Losses for Small Businesses (Sec. 1211, Page 221). 3. Extension of Bonus Depreciation (Sec. 1201, Page 220). This extends by a year election to accelerate the AMT and Research Credits in lieu of bonus depreciation. 4. Exclusion of 75% of Small Business Capital Gains from Taxes (Sec. 1241, Page 228). 5. Temporary Small Business Estimated Tax Payment Relief (Sec. 1212, Page 222). 6. Temporary Reduction of S Corporation Built-In Gains Holding Period from 10 Years to 7 Years (Sec. 1251, Page 228). Other Business Tax Cuts: 1. Advanced Energy Investment Credit (Sec. 1302, Page 231). This relates to properties designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as those that produce energy from the sun, wind, geothermal deposits, fuel cells, microturbines, or an energy storage system for use with electric or hybrid-electric vehicles. 2. Tax Credits for Alternative Refueling Property (Sec. 1123, Page 211). This is a temporary increase for alternative fuel vehicle refueling businesses. 3. Work Opportunity Tax Credits for Hiring Unemployed Veterans and Disconnected Youth (Sec. 1221, Page 223). This is a tax credit to provide incentive to businesses to hire unemployed veterans and "disconnected youth." That latter term is defined, in part, as young adults "not readily employable by reason of lacking a sufficient number of basic skills." 4. Delayed Recognition of Certain Cancellation of Debt Income (Sec. 1231, Page 224). 5. Election to Accelerate Recognition of Historic AMT/R&D Credits (Sec. 1201, Page 220). From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to fact check me if you want to. to answer your question Ice T

I work in telecom in Texas, and my current employer has occasional "early retirement packages" where I can get a lump sum payment and uncontested applications for unemployment benefits if I voluntarily terminate my employment (like say, if my position is moving to an office out of state, etc). I am pretty sure you can't apply for goverment student loans while receiving unemployment checks, but would it be possible to pay out of pocket for community college or re-training while I am on unemployment? I thought I remembered a law against this the last time I was laid off (mid 90s). Thanks for any info.

and to Congress? Shouldn't we force them to go and get a job like the rest of us? Or at the very least, take a dollar for dollar reduction for any income they do make? http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-249.pdf

And how is this effecting Obama's decision making? Excerpts: Unions have been the fiercest proponents of the Obamacare have been the Unions. Andy Stern, head of the SEIU has been to the White House more than any other visitor. Some commentators have reported that's Stern's constant trips to the White House is due to his participation in reviewing the basic components of the health care bills as they are developed by the houses of congress. Why is this particular legislation so important to the unions? Because the unions pensions plans are woefully underfunded. The hope is once Obamacare is passed union workers will eventually be shoved over to the co-ops (or an eventual government option), freeing up union cash to help with the pension program. As of this very moment the administration is working on a plan to give preference to Union Shops for ALL federal contracts. The proposal, dubbed the “High Road Contracting Policy,” was first reported by The Daily Caller in early February. According to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, the proposal would give preference to government contractors that pay their hourly workers a “living wage” and provide additional benefits such as health insurance, employer-funded retirement plans and paid sick leave. In other words, they will be "cutting out" the non-union shops and raising the price of jobs, and increasing the federal deficit. In your opinion, is Obama being used as a catalyst to cover up for the union bosses and their poor judgment and are we as tax payers going to get stuck picking up the tab? Here is the article along with a list of 108 union plans that aren't looking too hot: http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-coming-union-pension-plan-collapse.html

who are on Social Security. How did we get to be so called criminals in the first place? To all the young people out there footing the bill for Social Security. Lets put the blame where it is due. Q.Who introduced Social Security in the first place. A, Franklin Roosevelt (FICA). A democrat . He promised participation would be completely voluntary. ( of course you couldn't get retirement benefits, if you did not participate) . No Longer Voluntary. participants only would pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes. Now we pay 7.65% and employee pays same amount. that the money participants elected to put into program would be deductible from their income each year. No longer tax deductible. the money that participants put in would go into Independent trust fund and not into the general trust fund and would only be used for Social Security retirement program and no other government program. until Johnson ( Democrat ) . Money was moved into General Fund and spent. That the annuity funds would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton and Gore (Democrats). Up to 85 % can be taxed. Can you answer the following: Which party started taxing Social Security annuities A. The Democratic party with Al Gore casting the tie breaking vote as President of the Senate, while he was vice president. Q.Which party started to give annuity payments to immigrants A .Jimmy Carter and the Democratic party.they can collect , even if they never paid in a dime to it. Then after violating all the contracts dealing with social security , the Democrats tell you that republicans want to take away your Social Security. and the uninformed BELIEVE IT! Maybe if enough people know the truth , things will change. or maybe not , some Democrats are awfully sure of what isn't so. When Social Security was started, all money was to be invested to draw interest, and that money was suppose to be reinvested etc. and all kept in Social Security fund that way all the money I put in would be there when I retired, and make up for inflation. That way all money put in today would be going to the people who are putting their money in now. Social Security would never go broke and it would pay forever. If the plan was voluntary the only people able to collect would be the people that put their money in , in the first place. I feel sorry for the young people of today , they have every reason to be angry. They will pay in , but will they be able to collect? Please don be angry at the Seniors as they were used just as you are now.

Social security has failed. They recently instilled that anyone born 1960 and on cannot apply for FULL retirement benefits until age 67- a full 2 years later then those born before 1960. In essence they have cut the benefits of a large group of American's in an effort to save the program. The reason? They hope more American's will die off before collecting. Does anyone in their right mind think ObamaCare will be any different in a few years from now? The only difference is- when you need that heart transplant- you CAN'T wait 2 extra years! Dave Carrington- a contract is a contract. When the terms are broken it is reprehensible. When they raise the retirement age for you to 75, will you be ok with that?

this begs the question and answer: If they do choose to run again and lose, do they still receive all of their retirement benefits??

My parents are both retired military so i know first hand all the awesome benefits you can receive through making the military your career. my question is i might be joining the reserves soon (that way i can continue college and be in the military as well) then after college i was thinking of switching to active duty. welli know you need 20 years to retire and i was wondering if your reserve service goes towards retirement or if it is just Active Duty

Do I have to report this?

I'm 19 years old presently pursuing an engineering degree. I know I am young but the earlier I start, the more I can make in the end. From what I've learned, the traditional IRA would be better for me because contributions are tax deductible, and I would think that that's a definite benefit for a student working part-time. Also, as I expect to fall into a higher tax bracket at my retirement, I should switch over to a Roth at some point. That point, I figure, would be around when I am going to graduate school. Traditional IRAs allow for early withdrawals if they are for the purpose of higher education, so after I finish grad school, with the help of my IRA contributions to date, I can then switch to a Roth IRA. Is there anything wrong with this plan, or a better way to go about it? Do traditional IRAs require a minimum 'seasoning period' before even early withdrawals can be made? Is there a minimum age, Adjusted Gross Income or annual contribution to even qualify for an IRA?

Hello, My dad wants to retire. he is 67 hears old. but he doesn't his full 40 credits. Can he still apply for retirement benefits? He also want to work but not like full time? can he work with his retirement benefit? We live in Texas just for the info.

I was maried for 17 years in N.J. but only worked 5 years. I am divorced since 2001. Will I be entitled to any of my ex-husband social security benefits when I reach retirement?

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes? If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky? If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip? If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had stated that there were 57 states in the United States , would you have said that he is clueless. If George W. Bush would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in Texas , would you have thought he was a self important, conceited, egotistical idiot. If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Quattro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment? If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite? If George W. Bush's administration had okay-ed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11? If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence? If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America , would you have approved? If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved? If George W Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved? If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved? So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Command of the language? Corpseman? Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in a year-- so you'll have three years to come up with an answer.

Asalaamu alykum wa ramatollhi wa barakatuhu, "Come work for Islam. The work is hard, the hours are long, and the pay is low. But the retirement benefits are out of this world." [Unknown] haha..just saw that on Facebook...like it? Q: lets name one thing we're thankful for? ahhh ..HARD QUESTION..how can we name just one.. we truly cant count our blessings... i guess #1 on the list is thank Allah for ISLAM, and our DEEN and this GIFT, Alhamdulillah, Subhan Allah, Allahu Akbar what else? & lets try no repeats...each brother or sister, try to think of something different :)

I live in Florida and am collecting unemployment insurance benefits. I understand the state of Florida does not deduct dollars for collecting Social Security Benefits at the same time. Is this also true for employee contributed to only union pensions.

or is is over for the millions of America on unemployment? I thought it was a ploy by the rest of Congress who paid off this one guy who is not running again for office-to vote against it. Those high and rich, powerful men could have gotten the votes, if they really wanted to. All of Congress is to blame. Millions will starve in America and the gov't who takes the money we make in high taxes could care less. We become the burden , the refuse and trash of America. Yet, we pay their salaries and retirements and their healthcare. So, what happens now? thank you for your answers.

I know this single dad who was is the army for 18 years. He was asked to go to the gulf war and put his 3 kids into foster care or with their dying grandfather. He refused to do this to his children, so the army asked him to leave. and he did. They also refused to put him on the reserve. He is the most amazing father I know. He currently struggles so badly financially and only receives VA benefits. From my understanding if he was in the Army 20 years he would receive full retirement benefits. Is there any sort of appeals system i could try to fight his case and get him better benefits? This story makes me so sad. He made such a huge sacrifice for his children.

I have heard and read a lot about such places as Panama, Ecuador, and Mexico, but I am having a hard time deciding which one is best suited towards my personal criteria. Below, I have listed my criteria and value weighted each one from one to ten with one being not important and 10 being VERY important. 1) Weather-hot (at least 80 every day)-minimal to moderate rain- 10 pts. 2) Health Care-cheap and reliable-10 pts. 3) Real Estate-affordable, preferrably cheap-8 pts. 4) Crime-the lower the better-8 pts. 5) Close to the beach-should be within a one hour drive-8pts 6) Infrastructure-7 pts. 7) Close to a major city-in or near a big city preferrable-7 pts. 8) In a community setting. Would love to mingle-6 pts. 9) Language- English or Spanish. Will consider French or Portuguese if conditions right-6 pts. 10) Special benefits for retirees-4 pts. 11) Proximity to the U.S.-would be nice, but not a must-4 pts. No matter what we decide, we plan on visiting first for at least 2 weeks, and renting for at least 6 months before making any permanent decisions.

My sons father was absent for all of his younger years. We left when he was three years old, and his father did not contact him until he was 21 this previous year. Unfortunately he contacted him while he was very ill, and passed away just five months after their first interaction. He had promised me to pay back child support that he had never paid. (Actually he paid the sum total of $311.41 out of something like $100,000 that is now owed me). My son is having a very difficult time as anyone would, and I decided that it would be appropriate if he would be able to receive at least a portion of the amount of child support owed to me. I have contacted Child Support Services only to find out that they had closed my sons case when he was 14 because they could not find his father, although 8 months before it was closed they had sent me a letter stating he had been found and a check... they will not open up the case, and told me to speak with social security... social security, however, told me that I needed to go through CSS since there was no case that was even open for child support against him... CSS will not even give me the fathers s.s. # to get anywhere, and I am at a loss of what to do... I know his father had a very good job in Florida and had a 401k, and some form of retirement plan. He also paid into social security his whole life, and I'm wondering where the heck all this money is going to go that he can never collect, and why it is impossible to give my son some of the justice that he deserves. Can anyone help me? PLEASE

I keep hearing many conservatives and republicans calling Obama's healthcare a socialist reform. But many of these same people are very passionate about their social security and medicare benefits. Are those not socialist reforms themselves? Why should my tax dollars go to some retired guy who should've saved up money himself for his own retirement? I thought thats what all you conservatives always stress, that we have to look out for ourselves and not have to depend on our country to take care of us. Maybe YOU guys are the socialists. okay first 4 people are clearly incompetent. please read the details before you answer. thank you

I have worked here for 15 years and have contributed to ss. I am 10 years from retirement age, When the time comes can I apply and receive my social security benefits?

Why was the U.S. taxpayer forced to bail this company exactly?? http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100226/bs_nm/us_aig;_ylt=AuXdNENlWndZXLP40MPDYrKOe8UF;_ylu=X3oDMTJycDM1ZHVzBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAwMjI2L3VzX2FpZwRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzcEcG9zAzcEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNhaWdwb3N0czg5Ymk- NEW YORK (Reuters) – American International Group Inc (AIG.N) reported a quarterly loss of $8.9 billion, hurt by loss reserves and efforts to repay the U.S. government, as it struggles to find its feet more than a year after its $182.3 billion rescue. AIG's general insurance unit, Chartis, and domestic life insurance and retirement services, SunAmerica Financial Group, showed improvement. But the market remained skeptical, and AIG shares fell 7.9 percent to $25.33 in Friday midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange. "It could have been a better result," said Bill Bergman, a senior analyst at Morningstar. "We have seen improvement in housing finance and credit markets in ways that AIG might have benefited to a greater extent than what we saw today." sadcat............That would be the same "too big to fail" doctrine the Obama WH still supports?? middle..........I hadn't seen that (the Addendum at least). Thanks for the link.

There is no such thing as "entitlement". The program was designed to keep our retiring elders FROM STARVING. Thats all. and so.... Why do we pay benefits to the wealthy? Why is there a cap at @ $90,000 on income taxed for FICA? The program is worthy of full participation by all Americans no matter what their income level is. But it is not intended to "supplement" retirement income. Its just supposed to keep our elders from retiring into poverty.

This year I decided to use an 'approved' third party site accessed thru www.irs.gov. After filling in ALL the following info: 1. One full time job during 2009 (Form W-2) 2. Got fired from above job and cashed out my 401K ( Form 1099-R ) 3. Cashed out a savings acct from above employers retirement plan (another 1099-R) 4. Whilst looking for job got unemployment benefits (Form 1099-G) 5. Towards end of 2009 hooked up with shady temp agency (Form W-2) 6. Proof of payments made to Roth IRA totalling a whopping $650 from 2008 through April 15th 2009 (Form 5498) After entering all that info into esmarttax it comes back and says "REJECTED DUE TO INCORRECT AGI" So I called the IRS and the automated system gives me the 5 digit PIN which is basically my AGI but without the comma. I enter it again and still.....Rejected. I've typed it in, copied and pasted the numerical text over. Still rejected. So now, since my tax return hasn't officially been filed...Do I just leave the info on esmarttax.com's website and go to another site or just do my own damn taxes?

Ok, sometime in April 2009 we saw reduction in our fed deduction that increases our take home amount, so far so good. Now while e-filing fed tax for 2009, the software added $800 (max for joint filer) to making-work-pay-credit. Our combined income is below $40,000 and none of them are going to be claimed as dependent of others. No social security allowance, No retirement credit etc. etc. Moreover the IRS statement in this regard is- “Though all eligible taxpayers will need to claim the credit when they file their 2009 income tax return next year, the benefit will generally be spread out over the paychecks they receive beginning this spring and continue until the end of the year.” Source www.irs.gov/ updated 2009 . Since we did get at least some of the credit that even my employer couldn't clarify. It isn’t clear to me whether I should take off something from the $800 before filing (don't know how to do it though). I went to HR block they confused me more. Last year stimulus was darn easy. I am afraid of double dipping. Please help

I'm a social worker and I have a client who is 72 and receiving SSI since 1992. She gets Medicaid but the medical services available are under Medicaid are very difficult to use as there are very limited providers in our area of florida. She went to the SS office and was told she did not work enough to get any benefit. She says she worked for 20+ years but that she worked for an employer who did not have to pay into social security because they had their own retirement plan, but she could never use their plan since she was disabled before her retirement age. She is divorced but was only married for 9.5 years and SS says she cannot pull benefits from her ex husband. Can't she get Medicare since she has been disabled for more than 2 years? and over the age of 65? I have other clients who have immigrated over to the US and never worked here but were able to get Medicare after 5 years from their child/husband. Why can't this lady get Medicare too? Please no comments about politics and or 'no one should ever collect benefits' crap. I'm trying to help someone here. She only gets the $674 in SSi no SSA, SSDI or combination of the two. Jd, No where did I say she worked under the table. Your answer is both a total waste of time and incorrect. Also, this is no opinion forum. No one asked what you think of who should get benefits, only facts. Isn't there a way for her to buy into Medicare for those who don't work enough credits?

Bear with me, this is a bit lengthy. I am female, nearly 40 with family, especially 76 year old father coaxing me to pursue a college degree to land "secure employment" with benefits. Let me shed a little light with regards to my particular situation. I reluctantly graduated high school in '88 *wishing I'd repeated that year citing personal reasons* and, with the persistence of both my parents, began that fall in community college, randomly choosing a major to 1) get my parents off of my back and 2) declare a major just for the sake of declaring a major. My grandfather put away money since the time I was a baby in the stock market for my college, but I used it to fulfill transportation, living expenses and a trade school instead *I had always wanted to be a barber -- since the age of five* This, not surprisingly, was an unacceptable aspiration and, several years later, continued to be coaxed to finish a four-year-degree. This time, not only by my grandfather, but also my father and my younger brother and his wife. To make an insanely long story short, I spent those 20+ years traveling, barbering *for 15 years total*, working in various administrative positions in various industries and had a blast, along the way, doing so. There's one drawback: I have an extremely tiny retirement *my fault*, no benefits other than health insurance through my ex *not that I consider THAT a benefit -- more so a necessity* and some of the best income produced of any field I worked in in the barbering industry, $6000/mo, to be exact. Not too shabby. Still, the barber *out of work, currently* that I am, and the part-time entrepreneur *in another field* that I've become, my family still hounds me about that four-year college degree. Now, I am no dummy. I can do math *citing reasons to be diswayed by bloated interest rates for student loans* and I know my personality. The biggest problem with regards to attending college or, shall I say, the biggest problemS with regards to attending college right now *for my personal situation* are the following: -- I cannot sit still through classes, much less sit still through four full years, more if I need to go part time. -- There's not one major in college that I care to pursue. Not ONE. -- Not that I have anything against them, nor do I realize that all fall within this category, but I don't want a white collar position. No offense to white collar workers. My whole family is white collar. I am the only one who isn't. -- I can do math. I am not stupid. I know what I would need to repay for student loans after private, public or community colleges. I shudder with the thought of even having a debt of $5000. I don't have credit card debt. I don't own a credit card *my wisdom*. I have marginal medical debt *thank you, knee surgeries and asthma issues!*, but that only totals an amount in the ball park of $2000 -- manageable, comparitively speaking. I don't wish to repay loans once I hit the age when I begin drawing social security. I don't qualify for a grant -- still *legally* married, and I don't qualify for academic scholarships, grades aren't good enough, thanks to my high course withdrawal rate and F's for failing to withdraw courses once I unofficially dropped them back in the late 80's. -- I want to own a business when the opportunity arises and don't see it as a possibility by taking out student loans. There's no such thing as good debt/bad debt. It's ALL debt and I'd rather be debt free once the time permits to apply for a small business loan. So, there you have it. My life in a fairly sizeable nutshell. Question is this: How do I effectively explain to my family, once and for all, that I am NOT college-bound and that I have other, more important, more attractive aspirations? Appreciated are the intelligent and inobtuse replies. Thanks.

Bear with me, this is a bit lengthy. I am female, nearly 40 with family, especially 76 year old father coaxing me to pursue a college degree to land "secure employment" with benefits. Let me shed a little light with regards to my particular situation. I reluctantly graduated high school in '88 *wishing I'd repeated that year citing personal reasons* and, with the persistence of both my parents, began that fall in community college, randomly choosing a major to 1) get my parents off of my back and 2) declare a major just for the sake of declaring a major. My grandfather put away money since the time I was a baby in the stock market for my college, but I used it to fulfill transportation, living expenses and a trade school instead *I had always wanted to be a barber -- since the age of five* This, not surprisingly, was an unacceptable aspiration and, several years later, continued to be coaxed to finish a four-year-degree. This time, not only by my grandfather, but also my father and my younger brother and his wife. To make an insanely long story short, I spent those 20+ years traveling, barbering *for 15 years total*, working in various administrative positions in various industries and had a blast, along the way, doing so. There's one drawback: I have an extremely tiny retirement *my fault*, no benefits other than health insurance through my ex *not that I consider THAT a benefit -- more so a necessity* and some of the best income produced of any field I worked in in the barbering industry, $6000/mo, to be exact. Not too shabby. Still, the barber *out of work, currently* that I am, and the part-time entrepreneur *in another field* that I've become, my family still hounds me about that four-year college degree. Now, I am no dummy. I can do math *citing reasons to be diswayed by bloated interest rates for student loans* and I know my personality. The biggest problem with regards to attending college or, shall I say, the biggest problemS with regards to attending college right now *for my personal situation* are the following: -- I cannot sit still through classes, much less sit still through four full years, more if I need to go part time. -- There's not one major in college that I care to pursue. Not ONE. -- Not that I have anything against them, nor do I realize that all fall within this category, but I don't want a white collar position. No offense to white collar workers. My whole family is white collar. I am the only one who isn't. -- I can do math. I am not stupid. I know what I would need to repay for student loans after private, public or community colleges. I shudder with the thought of even having a debt of $5000. I don't have credit card debt. I don't own a credit card *my wisdom*. I have marginal medical debt *thank you, knee surgeries and asthma issues!*, but that only totals an amount in the ball park of $2000 -- manageable, comparitively speaking. I don't wish to repay loans once I hit the age when I begin drawing social security. I don't qualify for a grant -- still *legally* married, and I don't qualify for academic scholarships, grades aren't good enough, thanks to my high course withdrawal rate and F's for failing to withdraw courses once I unofficially dropped them back in the late 80's. -- I want to own a business when the opportunity arises and don't see it as a possibility by taking out student loans. There's no such thing as good debt/bad debt. It's ALL debt and I'd rather be debt free once the time permits to apply for a small business loan. So, there you have it. My life in a fairly sizeable nutshell. Question is this: How do I effectively explain to my family, once and for all, that I am NOT college-bound and that I have other, more important, more attractive aspirations? Appreciated are the intelligent and inobtuse replies. Thanks.

1. International careers are more common now because of growth in the __________. A. number of young workers B. number of immigrants C. global economy D. education sector 2. An example of a benefit is a A. retirement plan B. safe working environment C. paycheck D. lunch break. 3. When you gather information on how many jobs will be available in a certain field in the future, you are researching the A. work environment B. career outlook C. benefits D. education and training

...is offered for those who work at the Bethel headquarters in Brooklyn, NY for the majority of their lives? Once they leave Bethel, how do they support themselves?

I graduated from college like a good little do-bee, and I had a good job for 20 years. I dutifully paid my income taxes for all those years, part of which paid into the many federal entitlement programs, including food stamps for the needy. Now that the Obama Depression is looming, I've been out of work since May, and I don't have any employment prospects in the forseeable future. I am rapidly running through my savings, including my retirement accounts. I am facing the prospect of going on food stamps in the forseeable future. But then a terrible thought occurred to me - there are so many people losing their jobs, and they didn't save up nearly as much as I did. What if they all go on food stamps, and by the time I need them there is not enough money to pay for any more recipients? How would you feel if you paid into the food stamps system for 20 years, then when times changed and now you're the one in need, you are told "I'm sorry, there is a shortfall of funds, the program is closed to new applicants. All the available funds are going to existing participants who are in the program already." Then when you say "I paid into this system for 20 years, now you're telling me I can't get any benefits when it's my turn to get some?" Then the social worker just sneers back "Benefits were provided on a first come first served basis, Sorry, you snooze you lose!" How would you react?

There were no contracts, she did not pay my social security, retirement, or any other taxes. It was just a part time cash job. Now in order to claim more expenses she wants to make it all official which means I have to pay taxes I did not anticipate and I dont have the money. What should I do?Was she required by law to pay any social security, retirement, benefits, etc on my behalf?