Latest news with #ReneeWilliams
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Philadelphia woman's life turned upside down after Social Security deems her dead — and she's not the only one
Renee Williams was very much alive and living in West Philadelphia when she discovered a serious problem. Her bank accounts, health insurance and retirement benefits had all been cut off. The reason? She'd been placed in the "Death Master File" maintained by the Social Security Administration. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 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) Williams has spent more than six months trying to ensure everything is restored and lives in fear she'll lose it all again due to a clerical error. "I go to sleep at night and think about if they're going to cut me off again, not knowing day-to-day what's going to happen to my benefits," Williams told CBS News Philadelphia. It's a reasonable concern. Her benefit payments are still inconsistent, credit and banking issues remain and the whole experience has been 'a pain in the behind.' Worse still, she's not the only American in this situation. Sadly, such problems may only get worse as the Trump administration culls government jobs and overhauls agencies — with the Social Security Administration (SSA) a top target. In April, an estimated 2,500 SSA workers accepted buyouts as part of the government's efforts to eliminate 7,000 jobs in the agency, AARP reports. According to the Social Security Administration, less than 1% of the three million deaths the SSA records annually are incorrect. That works out to about 10,000 people a year whom the SSA deems dead, but who are actually alive. That's not good. But Elon Musk has inadvertently made the problem worse. Ironically, that's because he's more concerned about benefits going out to people who are dead, claiming rampant fraud. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it That's one reason he overhauled the Social Security Administration database as part of the Department of Government Efficiency DOGE — to eliminate such errors. Unfortunately, as the Daily Beast reports, that overhaul is now cutting off benefits to a growing number of people who, like Williams, are alive and well but who are declared dead. According to ABC News, experts believe Musk may have misread the records by reading the wrong databases. Rennie Glasgow, a Social Security claims technical analyst who has worked in the Social Security Administration's Schenectady field office for 15 years, told the Daily Beast that 4 million people have been marked dead on the database as a result of the DOGE overhaul — even though many are alive. 'We have people who did not receive benefits come in every day with their ID and say, 'I'm not dead, I'm alive!'' he said, noting it can take three to four days to 'resurrect' them. "When they mark someone dead on the Social Security record, it stops their life,' Glasgow said. 'It stops their car payments, it stops their credit, it stops their ability to do anything. One Philadelphia consumer protection attorney, Jim Francis, is helping these victims fight back. "These are all people who are going about their normal lives, and all of the sudden, they lose access to all of their benefits, their pension, their medical insurance and they become financially paralyzed," Jim Francis told CBS News. Francis is representing a Baltimore family in Baltimore that is trying to initiate a class action against Social Security after their relative, Joyce Evans, was improperly reported dead in 2023. The family claims the mistake caused financial and health problems, leading Joyce Evans to actually die months after the error occurred. "It's a really serious problem and in the world of data being misreported, this is almost as bad as it gets, if not the worst,' Francis said. If you have been improperly marked as being deceased, make an appointment with your local Social Security Administration field office as soon as possible. You'll need to bring valid ID with you, which can include one of the following documents: Passport Driver's license Employee ID Military record School ID Marriage, divorce or adoption record Health insurance card or medical record Life insurance policy Court order for name change Church membership The original documents, or copies certified by the issuing agency, must be presented to the Social Security Administration. No photocopies are accepted. Once Social Security corrects your record, they will provide an 'Erroneous Death Case - Third Party Contact" Notice that you can show to banks, doctors and others to get your accounts back and your life restored. Hopefully, field offices will be responsive in preparing this document, despite staff shortages and a growing number of the 'undead' fighting to restore their lives. Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Philadelphia woman spends months fixing Social Security error that declared her dead
Social Security said she was dead. It's taken months to get her life back on track Social Security said she was dead. It's taken months to get her life back on track Social Security said she was dead. It's taken months to get her life back on track For more than six months, Renee Williams has been battling to get her life back on track after a Social Security error declared her dead. Last fall, the West Philadelphia woman lost access to her bank accounts, health insurance and retirement benefits after being mistakenly placed on the Social Security Administration's "Death Master File." Williams turned to CBS News Philadelphia for help. In the time since, reversing the domino effect the error had on her finances has been never-wracking and seemingly never-ending, Williams said. "I go to sleep at night and think about if they're going to cut me off again, not knowing day-to-day what's going to happen to my benefits," she said. "Really serious problem" A local attorney is now bringing a class action lawsuit against the Social Security Administration for a mistake we've uncovered that impacts thousands of Americans each year. The Social Security Administration maintains its records are "highly accurate," and that of the more than three million deaths reported each year, "less than one-third of one percent" need to be corrected. Still, it means nearly 10,000 Americans are wrongly declared dead each year. Philadelphia consumer protection attorney Jim Francis said he's seen enough cases like Williams' come across his desk over the years to know he could no longer ignore it. Francis now represents a Baltimore family bringing a proposed class action settlement against the agency. The family of Joyce Evans claims the misreporting of her death in 2023 caused several financial and health issues and ultimately contributed to her death just a few months later. "These are all people who are going about their normal lives, and all of the sudden, they lose access to all of their benefits, their pension, their medical insurance and they become financially paralyzed," Francis said. "It's a really serious problem and in the world of data being misreported this is almost as bad as it gets, if not the worst." The agency has not yet responded to the lawsuit. It comes as major changes are underway, including the recent termination of 7,000 employees who were let go as part of DOGE cuts. The Trump administration has also taken aim at the opposite problem: benefits still being sent to people who are actually dead. A recently released Inspector General audit found about $300 million in improper payments were made over five years between 2018 and 2022. Getting back on track As of early May, Williams said she's still dealing with lingering issues related to her credit cards and banking. In the initial weeks following the error, Williams said there were a handful of times when her monthly benefit checks were delayed. Her health insurance also inadvertently canceled her plan after reinstating it. Williams said she's since switched to a new insurance provider. While things are looking up, Williams said she stands by her statement in November, when she told us that Social Security was, "a pain in the behind." If a person suspects they have been incorrectly listed as deceased on their Social Security record, they should contact their local Social Security office as soon as possible, according to the agency's website. You can locate your nearest Social Security office here. The agency says you should be prepared to bring at least one current original form of identification. Do you have a money question, a consumer issue, or a scam story you want to share? Email InYourCorner@
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Justice Department axes hundreds of grants that help crime victims and fight opioid abuse
The Justice Department terminated hundreds of grants this week, effectively slashing the budgets for organizations across the country that assist crime victims and fight both gun violence and opioid abuse. The cancellations, which claimed that the more than 350 already-distributed grants 'no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities,' sent shockwaves through grantee organizations. 'I was flabbergasted,' said Renee Williams, who leads the non-partisan National Center for the Victims of Crime. Her organization has operated a hotline for 10 years through a DOJ grant, and connects victims of heinous crimes to specialists that help them navigate everything from legal assistance to state bureaucracies. That grant was cut Tuesday evening. 'I genuinely believed that this administration had victims in the forefront of their mind,' Williams told CNN. 'But to get that email to see that they were cutting out victims, and that this hotline – which we know is a lifesaving resource to so many people – was no longer a priority was just stunning.' It is not unusual for new administrations to review applications for federal grants, or award grants based on their political preferences. But it is highly unusual for grants to be clawed back once the money is allocated and is being used, former DOJ officials told CNN. And though the cuts represent a relatively small portion of the grants administered by the department, experts worry that the funding cuts will fatally impact organizations whose projects are already underway. 'People who have been hurt by crime are just going to be hurt again when they try to get help,' Kristina Rose, the former director of the Biden Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime, which oversees billions of dollars in grant funding. 'Everyone eventually will feel the impact of this.' The cuts were first reported by The Washington Post. 'This Department of Justice is focused on prosecuting criminals, getting illegal drugs off of the streets, and protecting American institutions from toxic DEI and sanctuary city policies,' a Justice Department spokesperson said in response to CNN's questions about the cuts. 'Discretionary funds that are no longer aligned with the administration's priorities are subject to review and reallocation.' Among programs whose grants were cancelled are organizations who work to protect and help individuals who were the victims of a crime. Those groups – many of which have received bipartisan support in the past – say that without their funding, the victims they support could be left without legal help, safe housing, medical and trauma support, or even funeral expenses to bury a loved one who had been murdered. Copies of several grant termination letters shared with CNN say the DOJ has 'changed its priorities,' and want these federal grants to be 'more directly supporting certain law enforcement operations, combatting violent crime, protecting American children, and supporting American victims of trafficking and sexual assault, and better coordinating law enforcement efforts at all levels of government.' But many grant recipients believe this action will do the opposite by pulling the rug out from programs that have been working in communities across the country. One program at risk of immediate shutdown is a group who sends advocates to the bedside of someone in the hospital who has been injured from gunshot or other type of assault. The advocates can help them navigate how to report the crime if they choose and can help the victims find services to assist in their recovery. Another DOJ grant that funded trauma recovery centers in Iowa was also cancelled, as were grants that put kennels in domestic violence shelters so that victims could bring their pets with them when they fled. The Justice Department restored at least some of the shelter pet programs Wednesday evening, a source told CNN. When news of the cuts first surfaced Tuesday, dozens of grantees gathered on a videoconference to discuss their options, including whether to take legal action. Many of the organizations found that they had already been cut off from the financial systems from which they could access their grant money, one official said. Others tried to contact their grant managers at the Justice Department. 'I want to believe, and I want to hope it's a mistake, and that mistake will be rectified,' said Williams. The terminated grants also touch local government groups whose efforts are focused on research, statistics and efforts to reform things like policing and the juvenile justice system. 'Instead of helping to keep our residents safe, the Trump Administration is once again cruelly clawing back critical public safety funding for our state,' wrote Democratic New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a statement. 'Cutting critical initiatives to fight hate crimes, to prevent violence in our communities, and to combat opioid abuse is as reckless as it is dangerous,' Platkin continued. In Kansas City, Missouri, officials in city hall learned Wednesday a grant that funded counseling and treatment programs through their mental health court had been terminated. 'It takes away a tool that we have to give people treatment and then break the cycle of recidivism that we see on nuisance offenses,' Democratic Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told CNN. Lucas argued that judges cannot jail people with mental health issues for an extended amount of time for nuisance crimes, and that without treatment, those offenders will be back on the street without help and resources. 'I think it's going to lead to vastly inferior outcomes for people in Kansas City who want to be safe,' said Lucas.
CNN
24-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Justice Department axes hundreds of grants that help crime victims and fight opioid abuse
The Justice Department terminated hundreds of grants this week, effectively slashing the budgets for organizations across the country that assist crime victims and fight both gun violence and opioid abuse. The cancellations, which claimed that the more than 350 already-distributed grants 'no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities,' sent shockwaves through grantee organizations. 'I was flabbergasted,' said Renee Williams, who leads the non-partisan National Center for the Victims of Crime. Her organization has operated a hotline for 10 years through a DOJ grant, and connects victims of heinous crimes to specialists that help them navigate everything from legal assistance to state bureaucracies. That grant was cut Tuesday evening. 'I genuinely believed that this administration had victims in the forefront of their mind,' Williams told CNN. 'But to get that email to see that they were cutting out victims, and that this hotline – which we know is a lifesaving resource to so many people – was no longer a priority was just stunning.' It is not unusual for new administrations to review applications for federal grants, or award grants based on their political preferences. But it is highly unusual for grants to be clawed back once the money is allocated and is being used, former DOJ officials told CNN. And though the cuts represent a relatively small portion of the grants administered by the department, experts worry that the funding cuts will fatally impact organizations whose projects are already underway. 'People who have been hurt by crime are just going to be hurt again when they try to get help,' Kristina Rose, the former director of the Biden Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime, which oversees billions of dollars in grant funding. 'Everyone eventually will feel the impact of this.' The cuts were first reported by The Washington Post. 'This Department of Justice is focused on prosecuting criminals, getting illegal drugs off of the streets, and protecting American institutions from toxic DEI and sanctuary city policies,' a Justice Department spokesperson said in response to CNN's questions about the cuts. 'Discretionary funds that are no longer aligned with the administration's priorities are subject to review and reallocation.' Among programs whose grants were cancelled are organizations who work to protect and help individuals who were the victims of a crime. Those groups – many of which have received bipartisan support in the past – say that without their funding, the victims they support could be left without legal help, safe housing, medical and trauma support, or even funeral expenses to bury a loved one who had been murdered. Copies of several grant termination letters shared with CNN say the DOJ has 'changed its priorities,' and want these federal grants to be 'more directly supporting certain law enforcement operations, combatting violent crime, protecting American children, and supporting American victims of trafficking and sexual assault, and better coordinating law enforcement efforts at all levels of government.' But many grant recipients believe this action will do the opposite by pulling the rug out from programs that have been working in communities across the country. One program at risk of immediate shutdown is a group who sends advocates to the bedside of someone in the hospital who has been injured from gunshot or other type of assault. The advocates can help them navigate how to report the crime if they choose and can help the victims find services to assist in their recovery. Another DOJ grant that funded trauma recovery centers in Iowa was also cancelled, as were grants that put kennels in domestic violence shelters so that victims could bring their pets with them when they fled. The Justice Department restored at least some of the shelter pet programs Wednesday evening, a source told CNN. When news of the cuts first surfaced Tuesday, dozens of grantees gathered on a videoconference to discuss their options, including whether to take legal action. Many of the organizations found that they had already been cut off from the financial systems from which they could access their grant money, one official said. Others tried to contact their grant managers at the Justice Department. 'I want to believe, and I want to hope it's a mistake, and that mistake will be rectified,' said Williams. The terminated grants also touch local government groups whose efforts are focused on research, statistics and efforts to reform things like policing and the juvenile justice system. 'Instead of helping to keep our residents safe, the Trump Administration is once again cruelly clawing back critical public safety funding for our state,' wrote Democratic New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a statement. 'Cutting critical initiatives to fight hate crimes, to prevent violence in our communities, and to combat opioid abuse is as reckless as it is dangerous,' Platkin continued. In Kansas City, Missouri, officials in city hall learned Wednesday a grant that funded counseling and treatment programs through their mental health court had been terminated. 'It takes away a tool that we have to give people treatment and then break the cycle of recidivism that we see on nuisance offenses,' Democratic Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told CNN. Lucas argued that judges cannot jail people with mental health issues for an extended amount of time for nuisance crimes, and that without treatment, those offenders will be back on the street without help and resources. 'I think it's going to lead to vastly inferior outcomes for people in Kansas City who want to be safe,' said Lucas.
CNN
24-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Justice Department axes hundreds of grants that help crime victims and fight opioid abuse
The Justice Department terminated hundreds of grants this week, effectively slashing the budgets for organizations across the country that assist crime victims and fight both gun violence and opioid abuse. The cancellations, which claimed that the more than 350 already-distributed grants 'no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities,' sent shockwaves through grantee organizations. 'I was flabbergasted,' said Renee Williams, who leads the non-partisan National Center for the Victims of Crime. Her organization has operated a hotline for 10 years through a DOJ grant, and connects victims of heinous crimes to specialists that help them navigate everything from legal assistance to state bureaucracies. That grant was cut Tuesday evening. 'I genuinely believed that this administration had victims in the forefront of their mind,' Williams told CNN. 'But to get that email to see that they were cutting out victims, and that this hotline – which we know is a lifesaving resource to so many people – was no longer a priority was just stunning.' It is not unusual for new administrations to review applications for federal grants, or award grants based on their political preferences. But it is highly unusual for grants to be clawed back once the money is allocated and is being used, former DOJ officials told CNN. And though the cuts represent a relatively small portion of the grants administered by the department, experts worry that the funding cuts will fatally impact organizations whose projects are already underway. 'People who have been hurt by crime are just going to be hurt again when they try to get help,' Kristina Rose, the former director of the Biden Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime, which oversees billions of dollars in grant funding. 'Everyone eventually will feel the impact of this.' The cuts were first reported by The Washington Post. 'This Department of Justice is focused on prosecuting criminals, getting illegal drugs off of the streets, and protecting American institutions from toxic DEI and sanctuary city policies,' a Justice Department spokesperson said in response to CNN's questions about the cuts. 'Discretionary funds that are no longer aligned with the administration's priorities are subject to review and reallocation.' Among programs whose grants were cancelled are organizations who work to protect and help individuals who were the victims of a crime. Those groups – many of which have received bipartisan support in the past – say that without their funding, the victims they support could be left without legal help, safe housing, medical and trauma support, or even funeral expenses to bury a loved one who had been murdered. Copies of several grant termination letters shared with CNN say the DOJ has 'changed its priorities,' and want these federal grants to be 'more directly supporting certain law enforcement operations, combatting violent crime, protecting American children, and supporting American victims of trafficking and sexual assault, and better coordinating law enforcement efforts at all levels of government.' But many grant recipients believe this action will do the opposite by pulling the rug out from programs that have been working in communities across the country. One program at risk of immediate shutdown is a group who sends advocates to the bedside of someone in the hospital who has been injured from gunshot or other type of assault. The advocates can help them navigate how to report the crime if they choose and can help the victims find services to assist in their recovery. Another DOJ grant that funded trauma recovery centers in Iowa was also cancelled, as were grants that put kennels in domestic violence shelters so that victims could bring their pets with them when they fled. The Justice Department restored at least some of the shelter pet programs Wednesday evening, a source told CNN. When news of the cuts first surfaced Tuesday, dozens of grantees gathered on a videoconference to discuss their options, including whether to take legal action. Many of the organizations found that they had already been cut off from the financial systems from which they could access their grant money, one official said. Others tried to contact their grant managers at the Justice Department. 'I want to believe, and I want to hope it's a mistake, and that mistake will be rectified,' said Williams. The terminated grants also touch local government groups whose efforts are focused on research, statistics and efforts to reform things like policing and the juvenile justice system. 'Instead of helping to keep our residents safe, the Trump Administration is once again cruelly clawing back critical public safety funding for our state,' wrote Democratic New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a statement. 'Cutting critical initiatives to fight hate crimes, to prevent violence in our communities, and to combat opioid abuse is as reckless as it is dangerous,' Platkin continued. In Kansas City, Missouri, officials in city hall learned Wednesday a grant that funded counseling and treatment programs through their mental health court had been terminated. 'It takes away a tool that we have to give people treatment and then break the cycle of recidivism that we see on nuisance offenses,' Democratic Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told CNN. Lucas argued that judges cannot jail people with mental health issues for an extended amount of time for nuisance crimes, and that without treatment, those offenders will be back on the street without help and resources. 'I think it's going to lead to vastly inferior outcomes for people in Kansas City who want to be safe,' said Lucas.
