Latest news with #ElizabethMiller
Bloomberg
19-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
FDA Names Acting Leaders for Inspections, Tobacco Regulation
US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary named agency veterans to lead tobacco regulation and inspections, two high-profile areas, according to documents seen by Bloomberg. Elizabeth Miller will serve as the acting associate commissioner for the Office of Inspections and Investigations, and Bret Koplow will be acting director of the Center for Tobacco Products, according to emailed announcements of the appointments. The agency is facing pressure to crack down on illicit e-cigarettes and working to change how it approaches foreign inspections.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Social Security windfalls spark confusion — what to do
Recent changes to Social Security are leaving many recipients scratching their heads, as unexpected lump sum payments and overpayments are showing up in bank accounts — all without much explanation. Brooklyn resident Elizabeth Miller, 65, was shocked and confused when she noticed a large amount of money in her account. 'I didn't know what it was. I had no idea who sent me this,' Miller told News 5 Cleveland 'I thought they'd take it back right away. It's not mine. It was a mistake,' Miller added. Miller's situation comes at a time when significant changes to Social Security are affecting people's payments and she's not the only one. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Americans with upside-down car loans owe more money than ever before — and drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to cut your monthly costs ASAP Different Social Security reps gave her conflicting explanations about why her account balance had suddenly increased. But things didn't stop there. As more payments and letters arrived, Miller was told the extra funds were actually overpayments she was owed. Still, Miller remains baffled by the large amounts showing up in her account. 'I don't understand why you would put that much money in my account,' Miller said. The Social Security Fairness Act was recently passed and aims to eliminate two rules that cut Social Security benefits for certain retirees: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduced benefits for individuals who worked in jobs not covered by Social Security, like many state and local government workers. In addition, the Social Security Fairness Act ensures these workers receive the full Social Security benefits they've earned. This means that people like Jeff Olds, who received a lump sum payment for his wife, are now eligible for the benefits they missed out on originally. Olds, a 72-year-old from Brunswick Hills, said after 10 years of normal payments of about $1,600 a month, he received a lump sum of more than $14,000 from Social Security. 'I was shocked at first… this never happened before,' he told News 5 Cleveland. 'It's pretty scary for somebody who doesn't deal with this every day,' April Roberts, a Social Security expert and CEO of AARIA, told News 5 Cleveland. She noted that lump sum payments will start arriving on March 27. Thereafter, in instances where there was an error, Social Security will recoup legitimate overpayments by withholding 100% of subsequent checks until the balance is repaid. In some cases, changes to benefits may also follow new income thresholds or changes in the beneficiary's work status. The problem? Social Security has been sending lump sums before recipients receive letters explaining the amounts. This lack of communication can leave people confused about why they received a deposit, or whether it's even theirs to keep. Read more: Are you rich enough to join the top 1%? Here's the net worth you need to rank among America's wealthiest — plus 2 ways to build that first-class portfolio With all the confusion, navigating the changes can be frustrating, so here's what you can do. To start, regularly review your statements and make sure your personal information is up-to-date. Set reminders if you need them. If you notice an unexpected deposit from Social Security, call your local office for clarification, but be prepared to wait. 'They have access to more detailed information about your specific situation,' Roberts explained. If you feel that the explanation or payment amount is incorrect, you can file an appeal. If you owe money, you can file a waiver form or arrange a payment plan. While changes roll out, stay informed and proactive to ensure your Social Security payments are accurate and handled correctly. You can set up alerts to be notified about any new updates to Social Security. As for Miller, she is still waiting for confirmation letters to explain the lump sum payments in her account. 'I think the letters should come before the check to explain that you're going to be receiving something… for sure, so you don't have to panic when that much money is placed into your bank account,' she said. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Protect your retirement savings with these 5 essential money moves — most of which you can complete in just minutes This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sign in to access your portfolio
CBC
14-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
From knitting needles to pottery clay: Businesses that supply artisans look for local alternatives
Social Sharing Tariff threats and realities are spurring some New Brunswick businesses that cater to artists to turn their backs on U.S. suppliers to create more local opportunities. Local goods have always been a part of Elizabeth Miller's Saint John store, Good Fibrations, which is stocked with fibre-arts supplies, hand-knitted toques, canvas bags, pottery and rolls upon rolls of yarn. But she also relies on imports from the United States, the U.K. and Europe for some products that aren't made in Canada. The tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump had been threatening since February sent her scrambling for local suppliers. "Knitting needles are made from steel or aluminum," Miller said. "So it's been a scramble to try to find that because people need them." Miller's knitting needles are made in China but are sold by a U.S. distributor. "We encounter this frequently, something that we love ... we may have to buy through the U.S.," she said. WATCH | 'Do your homework' craft-shop owner says: Saint John business looks for Canadian suppliers as tariffs come into effect 3 hours ago Duration 2:43 Elizabeth Miller, owner of Good Fibrations fibre-arts shop in Saint John, says U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, and potentially other products in the future, will increase the cost of knitting needles, among other items. She is looking for more local suppliers. Miller said her 7mm knitting needles, for example, retail at roughly $16 to $18 a pair. The 25 per cent tariffs on aluminun and steel will send the price higher. "People absorb it but only to a point. Everything gets too expensive eventually and people don't want it any longer," she said. "So as a shopkeeper, I don't want it anymore." Miller said she's also aiming to create more relationships with craft shops nationwide. "We do all of our own dying and weaving on site," she said. "I'd love to find some wholesale customers that would like to buy our weaving and sell it in their lovely craft shop somewhere across the country." Regionalizing art supplies While Miller is prioritizing Canadian suppliers, potter Andrew McCullough — who owns Nu Ceramics Studio in Fredericton — is trying to make some supplies more easily available in the region. Getting material such as clay is already expensive because it's shipped in large batches in heated trucks from Ontario, McCullough said, speaking to CBC Radio's Shift. He's undertaken an ambitious task — to make use of the clay found in working mines in the Maritimes and make it more readily available for local artists. McCullough said these "volatile economic times" will make pottery materials more expensive very quickly, and he wants to get ahead of the game. "I'm hoping that by getting some of this stuff started now, hopefully this moves us towards a bit of a regionalization of our art-supply chain that will benefit creators in years to come." Some of the clay in these regional mines may be used for things like brick-making, he said, while some is not used at all. One mine his studio has set his sights on is in Lantz, Nova Scotia, and is owned by a brick company. McCullough's studio plans to start with small batches of clay to sell to local potters and is currently in early talks with mine owners. "We're not going to be able to produce on the same scale that the big pre-existing pottery suppliers are … what we can do is work with the resources that are most accessible right now." Meanwhile, Miller says she and surrounding shop owners are buying as much as they can of what they need now. "Because of course our countervailing tariffs are going to hurt us, we know that … but it's a pain that I haven't heard anybody complain about," she said. "I haven't heard one person say I wish they wouldn't do that to us," she said.
