Kelly Walker
Kelly Walker is a freelance marketing writer for The Epoch Times. An American pro-freedom dissident, branding professional, and author, Walker founded FreedomTalk and hosts FreedomTalkTV. Kelly holds a BA in English & Theology, and a Master of Science degree on a graduate fellowship with the U.S. Department of Defense. He had a distinguished career as a conservation professional before founding two award-winning branding & advertising agencies.
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UPI
an hour ago
- UPI
Trump marks Social Security Act's 90th anniversary
1 of 3 | President Donald Trump shows the signed proclamation marking the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act in the Oval Office at the White House with Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano on Thursday. Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Nine decades after the Social Security Act became law, President Donald Trump officially designated Thursday as the "90th Anniversary of the Social Security Act." Some 60 million U.S. seniors rely on Social Security, and payments have ended for more than 275,000 people who did not qualify for benefits, the president said during an afternoon news conference at the White House with Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano at his side. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law on Aug. 14, 1935, and Trump last month ended federal income taxes for most of its recipients upon signing the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law. "Social Security is rooted in a simple premise: those who gave their careers to building our nation will always have the support, stability and relief they deserve," Trump said in a proclamation shared with UPI. He called Social Security a "monumental legislative achievement that protects our seniors, uplifts our citizens and sustains the livelihoods of hardworking Americans who devoted their professions to bettering our country." On the 90th anniversary of its signing, the president said he recommits to "always defending Social Security, rewarding the men and women who make our country prosperous and taking care of our own workers, families, seniors and citizens first." Social Security is "stronger and more resilient than before" as his administration continues "rooting out all fraud, waste and abuse that rob our federal programs of resources," Trump said. Payments to deceased former recipients and those who do not legally qualify for Social Security are ending, he added. "I also am proudly restoring strong border security policies to ensure that Medicare and Social Security are preserved for the citizen who paid into them -- not abused by illegal aliens who have no right to be here," Trump said. Bisignano is a former chief operating officer at JPMorgan Chase and lauded Trump's efforts on behalf of the nation and its citizens and building what he called the "best leadership team ever assembled in the White House." He said more than 300 million Americans depend on Social Security and called it an "opportunity" to serve them by eliminating "fraud, waste and abuse" while providing "more accurate payments and better service." "This will be a digital-first agency," Bisignano said. "We have a bold goal of 200 million Americans that have a digital SSA account by the end of next year. It will happen." He said the Social Security Administration in 90 days reduced phone wait times from 40 minutes to single digits to "serve the American public." Upon being confirmed as the head of Social Security, Bisignano said he inherited $18 billion in errors within the Social Security system, and his team solved half of that amount in a month. "That's the type of swift action we can take," Bisignano said. "We are serving more people and delivering more than was ever delivered before in a manner of high quality."
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Iran Warns US About 'Trump Bridge' Plan
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The foreign minister of Iran said that the country would react carefully to any plan or project that could limit its ability to use important routes or undermine its strategic interests, in a warning to the U.S. about the Zangezur corridor near Iran's northern border. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment. Why It Matters Dubbed the "Trump Bridge" and the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity," the corridor would link Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave via southern Armenia, after the two countries agreed to a U.S.-brokered peace deal. Iran and its ally Russia, which have welcomed the peace deal signed at the White House last week, worry that the transit route could shift regional influence, reduce their leverage and give the U.S. and Azerbaijan greater control over strategic transport and trade routes. President Donald Trump, center, shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, right, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, left, at a trilateral signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House on August... President Donald Trump, center, shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, right, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, left, at a trilateral signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House on August 8 in Washington, D.C. More Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo What To Know Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, said the newly proposed transport corridor "must not block Iran's ability to access other transit routes," according to Tasnim News Agency. His comments echoed those of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who emphasized the need to block foreign military or security presence in the corridor. Through a 99-year-lease agreement, the U.S. and its forces will gain access near Iran's East Azerbaijan province, while boosting American influence in the Russian-dominated South Caucasus. According to Vahan Kostanyan, Armenia's deputy foreign minister, the opening of new regional communication routes would boost Armenia-Iran railway cooperation, including via the Nakhchivan–Jolfa line, giving Iran access to Armenia and the Black Sea, he told Iranian media. What People Are Saying Araghchi, as quoted by Tasnim: "I emphasized once again that while the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the establishment of peace and stability in the relations among the neighboring states, it pays special attention to the maintenance of the region's geopolitical stability and its national interests, and will show special sensitivity to any plan or project that may restrict our country's access to routes or the fulfillment of its interests." Kostanyan, in an interview with Islamic Republic News Agency on Thursday: "It is important for us to hear the feedback and opinions of brotherly countries, especially Iran." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, in a statement on August 9: "Involvement of actors outside the region should contribute to strengthening the peace agenda rather than create additional difficulties and dividing lines. It would be prudent to avoid repeating the counterproductive outcomes of Western conflict mediation in the Middle East." What Happens Next Armenia and Azerbaijan have yet to ratify the peace treaty.
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Ace the test: How to boost credit scores
Every American knows how critical their credit score is. Or at least, they should. A high score unlocks a whole host of financial opportunities: Lower car payments, cheaper mortgages, or even approval for that new rental apartment or job you've been eyeing. But here's something you may not know: Some parts of the country are doing better than others when it comes to boosting credit scores, reports Current, a consumer fintech banking platform. The financial site WalletHub recently crunched the data, to find out which city cranked its collective credit up the most in a single year. The winner: St. Louis, with a 3.49% increase compared to last year, resulting in an average score of 652. Runners-up included Des Moines, Iowa, with a 3.19% jump to 647; and Winston-Salem, N.C., with a 2.28% increase to 628. That's exactly the kind of positive momentum you want: Even if your credit record is sparse because you're just starting out in life, or if it is on the low side because of missed payments, you are aiming to boost those scores over time and reap the rewards. "If you get to a score like 760 or 780, then you're going to be getting best interest rates available," says Liz Weston, a personal finance columnist for the L.A. Times and author of the book "Your Credit Score: How To Improve the 3-Digit Number That Shapes Your Financial Future". "Even if you have bad credit, you can make it better." Some states are doing better than others, too. WalletHub did a deep dive into which parts of the country are being most 'diligent' about their credit: That means whether people are paying their debts on time, the share of the population experiencing foreclosures or bankruptcies, and even whether residents are checking and correcting errors on their credit reports. The winners: People in Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, Alaska, and Hawai'i. So what's the big secret of these credit-boosting cities and states? A number of factors go into analyzing credit records, to generate the 'FICO' score (thanks to the firm behind it, Fair Isaac Corp.) or the competing VantageScore, developed by the major credit agencies Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A few key points to consider: A solid payment history. Obviously, lenders want to see that a borrower is a reliable risk. So pay every bill on time, every time – you don't want to be a few days late, and you definitely don't want to be 30 or 60 days behind. In FICO's system, that history accounts for around 35% of your total score. Mistakes do happen - bills get lost in the mail, due dates slip your mind - so scheduling payments beforehand is a smart strategy, especially when dealing with joint accounts. "Set up autopay to avoid missed payments and assign who's tracking what," says Doug Boneparth, president of Bone Fide Wealth in New York City and co-author (with wife Heather) of the upcoming book "Money Together". "Clear roles reduce stress and credit slip-ups." A reasonable amount owed. Don't max out your credit lines, because that makes lenders nervous. Ideally, you want to keep what's called the 'credit utilization ratio' below 30%. So if you have available credit of $1,000, as an example, keep the amount borrowed below $300. "There should be a nice big gap there," advises Weston. "Credit utilization below 30% is good, below 20% is even better, and below 10% is best." Length of credit history. For young adults fresh out of high school or college, establishing credit is an uphill climb, because they just don't have proof of years of reliable debt payments. One potential solution here: Leveraging the power of being an 'authorized user'. For teens or young adults, that means being named as a user on parents' cards (even if they're not actually making purchases). Couples, too, can "add each other as authorized users on credit cards with strong histories," says Boneparth. "One person's good credit can lift both scores over time." Secured credit cards can help. A secured charge card essentially pulls spending power from the balance in your spending account, minimizing your risks of debt. In a nutshell, you can't spend more than what you have in your account, and as you spend, the funds are held in reserve to 'pay your bill' at the end of each month. Look for one without a minimum deposit requirement that reports these on-time monthly payments to the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian) each month to help build your credit score. It can be an effective way to build your credit history and minimize risks of debt. No credit splurges. Open too many credit lines, too quickly, and lenders get skittish, because it could indicate you're in some financial trouble. It could also suggest identity theft, if a scammer has gotten hold of your information and is applying for numerous cards in your name. That's why the amount of new credit factors into 10% of your FICO score. If you don't know what goes exactly into your credit score, this whole process can seem pretty mysterious. But when you do know, then you can get to work on making it better. Says Weston: "Lenders just want to see smart, healthy credit habits." This story was produced by Current and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
