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Newsweek
a day ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Some Social Security Recipients Won't Get Paid in June. Here's Why.
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. Some Social Security recipients will not receive a payment this month. While payments are typically sent to those on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on the first of the month, June payments will be skipped. This is because when the first day of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, SSI payments are issued early. Why It Matters More than 7 million Americans rely on SSI payments monthly. The benefits are available to those who are disabled or age 65 and older with limited resources. Fluctuations in the payment schedule can mean that beneficiaries may have to plan around new payment dates to ensure their housing and food costs are covered. Why Won't Some Social Security Recipients Get Paid This Month? While recipients will still receive payment, those on SSI should not expect to receive a payment this month. Because of the way the days fell on the calendar, June payments were sent out early, as June 1 falls on a weekend. That means that while there is no payment in June, SSI recipients received two payments in May. SSI Check: Payment Schedule SSI checks will be sent as follows, according to the Social Security Administration schedule: Friday, May 30, 2025 (Check for June 2025) Tuesday, July 1, 2025 (Check for July 2025) Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 (Check for August 2025) Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 (Check for September 2025) Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 (Check for October 2025) Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 (Check for November 2025) Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 (Check for December 2025) Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 (Check for January 2026) A Social Security Administration office in Washington, D.C., as seen on March 26, 2025. A Social Security Administration office in Washington, D.C., as seen on March 26, 2025. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images What Is the Highest Check You Can Get From Social Security? The maximum amount for a Social Security payment is $5,108 per month in 2025. However, getting this amount of money is rare and depends on several factors. The amount depends on your earnings history, your date of birth, and the date you filed for benefits. If you paid more into the SSA, you'll subsequently get more money when you retire. The same applies to those who wait longer to file, as payment amounts increase based on the filing age. At What Age Is Social Security No Longer Taxed? Depending on your circumstances, Social Security can be taxed at any age. If your taxable income is higher than the standard deduction for your filing status, you'll need to file a tax return. That means seniors who have Social Security and an income above the standard deduction might have to include benefits in their taxable income. What People Are Saying Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "Getting a check deposited a day or two early is never an issue as the funds will be available for use at about the same time of the month as usual, which should be a relief for those who rely heavily on Social Security for their retirement income." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "This is not a problem, just more of a timing issue. It is the same when the 31st falls on a weekend and you may receive your ach deposit 3 days prior from your wages. The only issue with this payment is that it may not align with the normal timing of recurring charges." When Will The Next Payment Be Made? The next SSI payment will be issued on Tuesday, July 1. Until then, recipients will have to make their June payment, which was sent in May, last. "Just remember that you are being paid more in May and may not see payment in June and be prepared for that eventuality," Thompson said.
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Are Social Security Offices Closed Today? Memorial Day Hours
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. As a federal holiday, all government offices, including Social Security branches, will be closed on Memorial Day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. This means beneficiaries must wait until Tuesday to visit their local office or speak to an agent on the phone. Why It Matters Social Security offices observe 11 federal holidays each year, including Memorial Day, along with Thanksgiving, Christmas and Juneteenth. During normal operations, Social Security offices remain open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, with appointments necessary for most in-person services. A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, DC, March 26, 2025. A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, DC, March 26, 2025. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Social Security offices will be closed on Memorial Day to honor those who died during their military service. This year, the typical closure of Social Security offices may be more concerning as President Donald Trump's newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has led to the closure of multiple local Social Security offices. Overall, DOGE instructed the General Services Administration (GSA) to terminate leases on approximately 7,500 federal offices, including many Social Security branches. This includes: White Plains, New York Logan, West Virginia Carlsbad, California Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Batesville, Arkansas Columbus, Ohio Okemos, Michigan Nacogdoches, Texas Green Bay, Wisconsin Las Vegas, Nevada Some stores will also close in honor of Memorial Day, and all major banks will suspend services. The United States Postal Service is also closed in observance of the holiday, so mail delivery services will be suspended until Tuesday. FedEx and UPS likewise observe the holiday, which means modified or suspended services on Monday. What People Are Saying Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "Social Security beneficiaries should prepare for the closure as there will be no in-person services at Social Security offices, no live phone assistance, and services and request processing will be delayed. "The day after a holiday tends to be busier than usual due to the closure, so plan for extra time if you need to visit an office or call. The good news is this typically does not affect payments. If your benefit day falls Memorial Day Monday, payments should be deposited the Friday before." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee, told Newsweek: "While Social Security offices will be closed on Memorial Day, seniors needing assistance during that time still have options. Social Security's online portal and automated phone system remain active on holidays, even if live agents are out of their offices. Any more personalized service needed, though, will have to wait until offices reopen the following day." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "The impact on beneficiaries is typically minimal, as the system is designed to function around these planned closures." What Happens Next While federal holidays like Memorial Day may cause slight delays in processing applications or paperwork, recipients typically can avoid any impact by contacting the agency for help before the holidays. "To avoid any disruption, I would submit necessary documents well in advance of holiday periods and plan accordingly for any potential delays in service," Thompson said.
Toronto Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Trump hails West Point cadets for their accomplishments and takes credit for U.S. military might
Published May 24, 2025 • 4 minute read U.S. President Donald Trump receives a photo as a present from the 2025 class after delivering the commencement address at the 2025 U.S. Military Academy Graduation Ceremony at West Point, New York, on May 24, 2025. Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images WEST POINT, N.Y. — President Donald Trump used the first military commencement address of his second term Saturday to congratulate West Point cadets on their academic and physical accomplishments while veering sharply into politics, taking credit for America's military might while boasting about the 'mandate' he says he earned in the 2024 presidential election. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'In a few moments, you'll become graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history,' Trump said at the ceremony at Michie Stadium. 'And you will become officers of the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known. And I know, because I rebuilt that army, and I rebuilt the military. And we rebuilt it like nobody has ever rebuilt it before in my first term.' Wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' hat, the Republican president told the 1,002 graduating cadets that the U.S. is the 'hottest country in the world,' boasted of his administration's achievements and underscored a distinct America First ethos for the U.S. military, which he called 'the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're getting rid of distractions and we're focusing our military on its core mission: crushing America's adversaries, killing America's enemies and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before,' Trump said. He later said that 'the job of the U.S. Armed Forces is not to host drag shows or transform foreign cultures,' a reference to drag shows on military bases that former President Joe Biden's administration halted after Republican criticism. Trump said the cadets were graduating at a 'defining moment' in the Army's history, as he criticized past political leaders for leading soldiers into 'nation-building crusades to nations that wanted nothing to do with us.' He said he was clearing the military of transgender ideas, 'critical race theory' and trainings he called divisive and political. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'They subjected the armed forces to all manner of social projects and political causes while leaving our borders undefended and depleting our arsenals to fight other countries' wars,' he said of past administrations. Several points during his address at the football stadium on the military academy's campus were indistinguishable from a political speech. Trump claimed that when he left the White House in 2021, 'we had no wars, we had no problems, we had nothing but success, we had the most incredible economy.' He noted that he won all seven swing states in the November election, arguing that those results gave him a 'great mandate' and 'it gives us the right to do what we want to do.' But Trump also took several moments to acknowledge specific graduates' achievements. He summoned one cadet, Chris Verdugo, on the stage, noting that he completed an 18.5-mile march on a freezing night in January in just two hours and 30 minutes. He had the top-ranking lacrosse team stand to be recognized. Trump also brought West Point's football quarterback, Bryson Daily, to the lectern, praising his 'steel'-like shoulder. He later used Daily as an example to make a case against transgender women participating in women's athletics. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a nod to presidential tradition, Trump also pardoned about half a dozen cadets who had faced disciplinary infractions. 'You could have done anything you wanted, you could have gone anywhere,' Trump told the class, later continuing: 'Writing your own ticket to top jobs on Wall Street or Silicon Valley wouldn't be bad, but I think what you're doing is better.' The president also ran through several pieces of advice for the graduating cadets, urging them to do what they love, think big, work hard, hold onto their culture, keep faith in America and take risks. 'This is a time of incredible change and we do not need an officer corps of careerists and yes men,' Trump said, going on to note recent advances in military technology. 'We need patriots with guts and vision and backbone.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump closed his speech by calling on the graduating cadets to 'never ever give up,' then said he was leaving to deal with matters involving Russia and China. 'We're going to keep winning, this country's going to keep winning, and with you, the job is easy,' he said. Just outside campus, about three dozen demonstrators gathered before the ceremony and were waving miniature American flags. One in the crowd carried a sign that said 'Support Our Veterans' and 'Stop the Cuts,' while others held up plastic buckets with the message: 'Go Army Beat Fascism.' Trump gave the commencement address at West Point in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He urged the graduating cadets to 'never forget' the soldiers who fought a war over slavery during his remarks, which came as the nation was reckoning with its history on race after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump also paid tribute to the military academy's history and its famed graduates, including Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ceremony five years ago drew scrutiny because the U.S. Military Academy forced the graduating cadets, who had been home because of COVID-19, to return to an area near a pandemic hot spot. Trump traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, earlier this month to speak to the University of Alabama's graduating class. His remarks mixed standard commencement fare and advice with political attacks against his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, musings about transgender athletes and lies about the 2020 election. On Friday, Vice President JD Vance spoke to the graduating class at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Vance said in his remarks that Trump is working to ensure U.S. soldiers are deployed with clear goals, rather than the 'undefined missions' and 'open-ended conflicts' of the past. — Swenson reported from Bridgewater, New Jersey. Other Sports Ontario Canada Editorial Cartoons Sunshine Girls
Black America Web
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
White Tears Incoming: America Welcomes Afrikaner ‘Refugees' To Rescue Whiteness
Source: SAUL LOEB / Getty 'Send me your bitter. Your huddled masses of racists. Your wretched, sun-worn, and paranoid, waving the flag of a dying empire, terrified of DEI, hallucinating about genocide, and teeming with desperation to Make Anywhere Great Again.' The Neanderthalic Donald Trump is certainly no Emma Lazarus, the poet whose 1883 sonnet 'The New Colossus' is cast onto a bronze plaque on the Statue of Liberty and inspired the satirical flip I just delivered. But this is essentially what he said before rolling out the red carpet for a planeload of salty, land-losing colonizers who've been recast as 'refugees' because Black South Africans have the audacity to reclaim what was stolen from them generations ago. These Afrikaner welfare recipients, who descended mainly from Dutch colonists, have received preferential treatment over many other groups who've been waiting in limbo in refugee camps and other dangerous conditions for years. The Afghan and Iraqi interpreters who risked their lives to assist American troops in wars. The Haitians being deported after fleeing violence and natural disasters. The Syrians still trapped in camps in Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon. The Congolese languishing in East Africa, the Uyghurs from China, along with Somalis, Rohingya Muslims, Yemenis, South Sudanese, Central Americans from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, the Eritreans, and Ethiopians. These Afrikaners aren't refugees. They aren't fleeing war. They aren't being persecuted based on their religion. They aren't stateless. They aren't politically dissident exiles. They haven't endured famine or climate collapse. But Trump and top officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, compared post-apartheid South Africa to Nazi Germany. Invoking his family's history, Landau said: 'My own father was born in Europe and had to leave his country when Hitler came in … We respect what you had to deal with these last few years.' He added: 'We're sending a clear message that the United States really rejects the egregious persecution of people on the basis of race in South Africa.' Where was this same energy during the apartheid era? Trump went even further, accusing the South African government of committing 'genocide' against its white minority. But there is zero evidence of a genocide. Zero! What does exist is a slow, contested, and deeply uncomfortable effort to decolonize, undo historical injustice, and redistribute land, wealth, and opportunity. But the descendants of colonizers across the diaspora treat such developments as an existential threat. Source: The Washington Post / Getty Racial equality is treated like a zero-sum game and a prelude to white annihilation. They even traffic in hyperbole by calling racial equality 'genocide.' Land reform becomes 'persecution.' Statistical parity equals 'reverse discrimination.' Reckoning with the colonial past feels like attempted extermination. But this ain't about actual danger to white lives. It's about the fear of no longer being able to dominate. So, of course, the U.S., a white supremacist nation built on the bones of enslaved Africans and Indigenous genocide, is providing sanctuary to its colonial kin. Let's not split hairs and call this political maneuver what it really is—ideological rehoming of a people mourning the loss of racial hierarchy. Be clear—that planeload of disgruntled Afrikaners is not on US soil because they are in danger. They've been imported as reinforcements with rage because whiteness is. They've arrived at a moment in U.S. history when the president has engineered an aggressive full-scale white identity project. People of color in this country are being deported, snatched off streets, hidden away in secret prisons, displaced, and denied resources. We're also seeing government-sponsored fertility campaigns and abortion bans to push white women into birthing more white babies, regardless of the circumstances surrounding conception. These faux refugees are here to breed, vote red, promote white Jesus, and help fortify the architecture of a white ethno-state by any means necessary. Emma Lazarus didn't write The New Colossus for this. And if Lady Liberty could move, she'd be giving that plane full of apartheid leftovers a hard side-eye. Her torch was meant to light the way for the suffering, not to guide entitled colonizers back to the throne. But then again, the Statue of Liberty has always been more complicated than the poem at her pedestal. For generations, she welcomed European immigrants who were quickly consolidated into whiteness to reinforce its power. They came not as threats to the system, but as new blood for its preservation. Perhaps Lady Liberty wouldn't flinch at all. Maybe she'd just tighten her grip on the torch, glance at the tarmac, and whisper into the Afrikaner ears: 'Rraight on toime. Mehyk Amerrrica Greyt Again.' SEE ALSO: Trump Prioritizes White Afrikaners Over Black and Brown Migrants Trump's Brazen Takeover Of The Library Of Congress Is Another Direct Threat To Democracy SEE ALSO White Tears Incoming: America Welcomes Afrikaner 'Refugees' To Rescue Whiteness was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
SA Government rejects ‘refugee' label for Afrikaners resettled in US
The first group of Afrikaners from South Africa arriving for resettlement in the US Image: SAUL LOEB / AFP A group of 49 South African Afrikaners has officially been granted asylum in the United States and arrived on American soil this past week, prompting concern and condemnation from the South African government. The US cited ongoing racial discrimination, farm attacks, and threats of expropriation without compensation as the basis for offering refugee protection, calling it a humanitarian response to the 'persecution of Afrikaners'. In a statement, the United States government said, 'This tremendous accomplishment, at the direction of Secretary Rubio, responds to President Trump's call to prioritise U.S. refugee resettlement of this vulnerable group facing unjust racial discrimination in South Africa. We stand with these refugees as they build a better future for themselves and their children in the United States.' The US added that 'no one should have to fear having their property seized without compensation or becoming the victim of violent attacks because of their ethnicity,' noting that more Afrikaners will be welcomed in the coming months. The move, however, was met with sharp criticism in Pretoria. Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, confirmed that Deputy Minister Alvin Botes held a 'cordial discussion' with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on 9 May 2025, following engagements via diplomatic channels. 'The Government expressed concerns with the information conveyed that the United States has commenced with processing alleged refugees from South Africa and will begin resettling these citizens in the United States,' Phiri said. South Africa pointed to the internationally recognised 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines a refugee as someone with a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion. 'We reiterate that allegations of discrimination are unfounded. The South Africa Police Service statistics on farm-related crimes do not support allegations of violent crime targeted at farmers generally or any particular race,' said Phiri. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The U.S. granted refugee status to 49 white Afrikaners Image: Marco Longari / AFP He added that there are sufficient legal structures within the country to address any claims of discrimination and that such claims 'do not meet the threshold of persecution required under domestic and international refugee law.' AfriForum, the civil rights organisation who has previously spoken out about the farm murders in 2024, submitted a formal letter to the Minister of Police detailing a spate of brutal farm attacks between October and December that year. These included the murder of two women, aged 52 and 82, in Eikenhof; a 68-year-old man in Meyerton stabbed to death during a home invasion; a 32-year-old game farm manager shot dead in Parys; and the murder of a 41-year-old woman in Lydenburg. In Rouxville, a 56-year-old man was shot dead while his wife was abducted and later rescued. In Fouriesburg, a 56-year-old security guard was killed and a farmer hospitalised following a farm attack. A 45-year-old man was also murdered in Hendrina, and his elderly parents brutally assaulted. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said, 'The fact that the first group of Afrikaners has now left the country as refugees is a serious indictment against the ANC-led government, which continues to refuse to condemn calls for violence against Afrikaners, such as 'Kill the Boer.'' He said the move was the result of state-led discrimination, including the Expropriation Act which allows land seizure without compensation. Several Afrikaners have previously marched in Pretoria, supporting President Donald Trump and calling for recognition like Israel. Image: X (Twitter) 'AfriForum is determined, together with our colleagues in the Solidarity Movement, to continue our efforts to help build a future for Afrikaners here at the southern tip of Africa,' said Kriel. 'We will continue our safety and cultural infrastructure projects and maintain links with Afrikaners abroad through our Wereldwyd network.' However, not everyone agrees with the US's framing of the situation. Political and international relations analyst, and Director of Surgetower Associates Management Consultancy, Siseko Maposa, said: 'It must be unequivocally underscored that individuals seeking refugee status in the US on grounds of persecution in South Africa have done so on demonstrably false, speculative, and misleading premises. A plain reading of the Expropriation Act, the purported catalyst for these claims, reveals no unchecked state power to confiscate land.' 'The Act permits expropriation without compensation only under stringent procedural safeguards, rendering arbitrary seizure legally and practically implausible. Moreover, there exists no empirical evidence, nor any credible government pronouncement, to substantiate claims of systematic, state-tolerated violence against Afrikaners – it is simply a swindle,' he added. Maposa warned that those who have left under refugee status may face difficulties in returning: 'Under the UN Refugee Convention, host nations – in this case the USA – cannot send them back if their life or freedom would be at risk. This is only permissible should the refugees voluntarily return and seek their home country's protection or choose to resettle, effectively revoking their refugee status.' He further suggested that the US action was not purely humanitarian: 'This entire matter is less about genuine humanitarian concern and more a calculated geopolitical manoeuvre. The US is attempting to artificially inflate perceptions of human rights violations against Afrikaners to justify international pressure and isolate South Africa from its BRICS allies, including Russia, China, and Iran.' Despite the tension, South Africa has confirmed it will not prevent citizens from leaving the country, citing the constitutional right to freedom of movement. However, Phiri said the government has sought assurances from the US on the status of the departing individuals — including whether they have been vetted to ensure they have no pending criminal cases. Weekend Argus
