Latest news with #SocialSecurity
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Candidate for New York's 23rd Congressional District makes stop at Harris Hill
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — A former Republican party affiliate, now Democratic candidate, made a campaign visit at Harris Hill on Sunday to share why he is running to pursue the position to represent New York's 23rd Congressional District. Attorney Kevin Stocker, who is running against the incumbent Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy, held a gathering at a pavilion at Harris Hill to discuss his campaign with attendees on Sunday, July 13. Stocker told 18 News that he had been a lifelong Republican but changed his party affiliation to Democrat in 2016, the year President Trump was elected to his first term. How you receive your Social Security, VA benefits may change in fall: What to know His campaign, according to Stocker, is focused on addressing concerns he said he's heard from people regarding cuts to healthcare, Medicaid, Medicare, VA benefits, and tax cuts to billionaires. He also criticized Langworthy for his loyalty towards President Trump. Stocker exclaimed that Langworthy doesn't have the courage to hold public town halls in person with his constituents to explain his decisions, particularly in the Southern Tier. 'We're going to be fighting for hard working families and hard-working communities and everything that they're currently doing about cutting services that our communities rely on and giving the tax breaks to the billionaires and the millionaires. That's what the campaign is going to be about,' Stocker said. 'We're going to steer the ship the other direction. We're not going to be alienating trading partners and diminishing our status in the world. We're going to improve the lives of hard-working families that are struggling on a day-to-day basis, with all the factors that are going on in our communities, our economies, things of that nature,' he explained. 5 'Big, Beautiful Bill' changes to insurance Stocker expressed that he has no ill will against millionaires and billionaires for being successful but believes they should pay their fair share in taxes to alleviate financial burden on working families. He announced his campaign to run against Langworthy in June 2025 and has made stops to other places in the state such as, Owego, Hamburg, Clarence and plans to do town halls in Lockport and Olean in the future. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Maine may not be New York — but at least it has patriotism
Yes, Maine is great, but . . . Despite the opinions of our editors, I have returned. I am back. Listen, I needed a holiday. Even my computer was tired of me. Being patriotic, it being July 4, I went to re-live where our beloved country began. I schlepped to Maine. Vacationland Why Maine? Because my forever friends whose ancestors — its earliest settlers — are honored in the state's museum and in whose original farmhouse I have stayed are there. What it was like when great great great grandma Ballard practiced midwifery there in the 1600s and 1700s, who knows. What it's like now, I know. Advertisement Nobody in that state blows their Social Security on wardrobe. A potpourri of pensioners, the average age is deceased. Gents need a divining rod to locate their private parts since most stomachs reached to Iowa. And if ever I see another lobster I'll crack it over the head of Elon Musk. Maine has air. Sky. Birds. Marshes. Miles of white sand beaches. Bright blue sky. Puffy fluffy white clouds. Celebs from that state include our VP in 1861 Hannibal Hamlin. Also Althea Quimby who ran a temperance operation. Also Anna Kendrick and soccer player Colby Quiñones. Plus others who are less well known. Plus for instance, it's not Arizona. The northeasternest state's bird is the black capped chickadee. There's lighthouses in wherever's West Quoddy Head, rocky coastline, maritime history, the end of the Appalachian Trail, and something called the white Pine Cone flower which absolutely nobody sends anybody for somebody's birthday. Advertisement Sun & scoops A popular city is Bangor, 31,000 population. One doctor's waiting room in NYC has more. Outdoor ice cream stands where people gather at night for scoops. I looked for scoops, but mine were for print. Songs exist extolling this state's glories. Like one we all know and hum — 'The Reach' written by Dan Fogelberg. Forget trying to hear this at the Met. BUT — it has patriotism. One famous tourist area is Old Orchard Beach. Go along its main drag. Every home, each one fronting the roadway with its back facing the ocean, flew the American flag. It's a city ordinance. The area began before big-time electricity. Thus, fronting each house is a telephone pole. Every one flew an American flag. New York will always be best Advertisement So: Let that big mouth jig elsewhere — not New York where he's hustling to be mayor, not in the greatest country that God created — let this nothing friggin' nobody dance in Russia, Syria, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela. Let him team up with that female bartender, allow Bernie Sanders to spit into the camera, have Donald stuff him into the 19th hole. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Let this zero whom nobody heard of before tell us how to clean the streets, free up the roadways, reinforce bridges and highways, collect garbage, clear snow, lower taxes, show how to save the city, remove bodies sleeping on sidewalks, reopen shops, clean the subways, fight hate, stop with casinos and cheap semi-legal shops, help cops, jail what DA Bragg frees. Advertisement And if looking for youth, no problem the Menendez brothers may soon be available. Or, fresh from kindergarten, grab Buttigieg whose last job was mayor of a town so small that more people are in my bathroom. He wants to be president. His husband — met via a dating app — told me: 'In the White House we'll play loud music every day.' BUT — and here's the big but — Maine has patriotism. So would I leave NYC and move there? What're you — nuts?
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Claimed Social Security Early? You Can Go Back to Work -- but You May Have This Hiccup
You're allowed to collect Social Security and a paycheck from a job at the same time. If you earn too much as a early Social Security claimant, you risk having benefits withheld. Given that an early claim reduces your benefits permanently, it's a situation you'll want to think through carefully. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Waiting until full retirement age to claim Social Security means you're able to collect your complete monthly benefit without a reduction. Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. But Social Security makes benefits available to eligible recipients at a much earlier age. You can sign up for Social Security at any point once you turn 62. However, for each month you take benefits ahead of full retirement age, those payments are permanently reduced. Meanwhile, it's not so uncommon for people to work and collect Social Security at the same time. This is something the Social Security Administration allows seniors to do, and having a job could be a great way to supplement your monthly benefits. Plus, even if you don't have a huge need for money, working in retirement has other perks. It can serve as a social outlet and a reason to get out of the house. But if you claimed Social Security early and are now thinking about going back to work, you'll need to be careful. Though you're allowed to start working again, earning too much money could cause your Social Security checks to shrink in the near term. Once you reach full retirement age, earnings from a job won't impact your monthly Social Security benefits -- at least not negatively. It's possible that if you earn enough while on Social Security, you could become eligible for larger monthly benefits, depending on your wage history. On the other hand, if you're receiving Social Security prior to full retirement age, you need to be careful with how much you earn. Exceeding the program's earning-test limit could result in having a portion (or, in some cases, all) of your Social Security benefits withheld. In 2025, you'll have $1 in Social Security withheld per $2 you earn above $23,400. If you're reaching full retirement age this year, the rules are different, and you'll have $1 in Social Security withheld per $3 you earn above $62,160. Withheld benefits for exceeding the earnings-test limit are not forfeited completely. Once full retirement age arrives, you should get that money back in the form of larger monthly checks. But if your goal in the context of working while on Social Security is to boost your income in the near term, you'll want to be careful about putting your benefits at risk. It's not always easy to predict what your need for money in retirement looks like until you get to that point. And it's also not so easy to figure out how long you want to keep working in some shape or form. But if you think there's a good chance you'll end up working until full retirement age, you may want to hold off on claiming Social Security until then. Remember, when you take benefits early, the reduction you face is generally a permanent one. It's not the same as withheld benefits under the earnings test, which get repaid to you in time. Make sure you understand that distinction so you can make a smart decision in the context of your Social Security claim. If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Claimed Social Security Early? You Can Go Back to Work -- but You May Have This Hiccup was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Laid off in your 60s? Why you shouldn't rush to file for Social Security
Today's economy is a funny one. If you look at unemployment data, things seem good. But if you talk to actual people who are looking for work, you might get a very different answer. Losing a job can be a blow at any age. But getting laid off in your 60s can be extremely problematic if you're not ready to bring your career to a close. Older workers often struggle to get hired because employers commonly don't want to take a chance on people they think are on the cusp of retirement. So if you're laid off in your 60s, there's unfortunately a good chance that you'll end up being out of work for a fairly long stretch of time. Depending on your exact age, you may have the option to claim Social Security following a layoff in your 60s. But should you? That depends. And you should ask yourself these questions to find out. 1. Have I reached full retirement age? You can claim Social Security at any point once you turn 62. But if you haven't reached full retirement age, which is 67 for people born in 1960 or later, you'll face a permanent reduction to your monthly benefits by signing up for Social Security. Before you rush to take benefits, figure out how far away from full retirement age you are. It may be possible to cobble together an income for a period of time so you can wait to file for benefits and avoid a lifelong reduction. 2. How long will my severance and unemployment last? Generally, people who lose a job through no fault of their own are entitled to unemployment benefits. Those might only replace a small portion of your paycheck. But if you're also entitled to severance, it means you could be in line for a pretty nice payday upon your departure. And that could make it possible to hold off on claiming Social Security so you can lock in larger monthly benefits. Every company's approach to severance is different. But some employers calculate it based on tenure. Let's say your company is downsizing staff and offering everyone three months of severance pay plus an extra week per year of service. If you've been with your company for 20 years, that's an additional five months of income on top of your company's base offer. That buys you a good amount of time before you have to claim Social Security, especially when you factor in the added income from unemployment benefits. 3. Am I ready to be done working? If you're laid off in your 60s, you may decide to use it as an opportunity to retire on the spot. But maybe that's not what you want, and you're eager to continue working – if not full-time, then at least on a part-time or consulting basis. It's important to figure out what you want to do before claiming Social Security. Waiting to take benefits could be advantageous to your long-term finances. So if you're willing to work, and to accept any old job to stay in the labor force for an extra year or two, that could allow you to sit tight on Social Security and snag larger benefits. It's never easy getting laid off, especially if it happens when you're older. Claiming Social Security may be something you're inclined to do right away. And depending on your exact age and financial situation, that's not necessarily a poor choice. The point, rather, is to consider your different options before rushing to file for benefits immediately following a layoff. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets"could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. JoinStock Advisorto learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How DOGE's reckless cuts created chaos at the Social Security Administration
The Trump administration's colossal cuts to the Social Security Administration in the name of 'efficiency' are sowing chaos and dysfunction throughout the agency. Even attempts to fix these new problems are akin to rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship because they fail to address the core problem: staff shortages. The Washington Post reports the SSA is 'temporarily reassigning about 1,000 customer service representatives from field offices to work on the swamped toll-free phone line, increasing the number of agents by 25 percent.' And when the Post reports the phone line is 'swamped,' what that means in practice is that people are complaining about dropped calls and previously reported wait times of up to five hours. But there's one little oversight: There is no one in place to do the work that the reassigned representatives had to leave behind. According to the Post, 'Jessica LaPointe, president of Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), said the move will slow responses to the complex cases that the field office employees handle and be only a temporary bandage for the phone problems.' 'The 1-800 number — they do offer a critical role at the agency, but it's triage, whereas customer service representatives actually clear work for the agency,' LaPointe told the Post. 'So it's just going to create a vicious cycle of work not getting cleared, people calling for status on work that's sitting because the claims specialists now are going to have to pick up the slack of the customer service representatives that are redeployed to the tele-service centers.' So how did the SSA end up so shorthanded that it has to rob Peter to pay Paul? Before the second Trump administration, SSA had a staff of roughly 57,000. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Trump administration's DOGE operation enacted 'the largest staffing cut in SSA's history,' which involved 'indiscriminately pushing out 7,000 workers to hit an arbitrary staffing reduction target.' The Trump administration has also ousted dozens of officials with expertise in running SSA's benefits and information technology systems. On top of the problems noted above, reassigning workers adds further inefficiency because they have to do on-the-job training and lean on more experienced co-workers to get them up to speed. And field offices themselves were already beleaguered, dealing with the effects of other reassignments within SSA. 'Field office staff are struggling to resolve the most difficult cases, due to disproportionate losses and reassignments in SSA's regional offices, which provide daily support to their colleagues in the field by answering complex policy questions and troubleshooting system problems,' the CBPP reports. Trump's 'efficiency' efforts now have a single staff member serving 1,480 beneficiaries, according to AFGE. That's three times the number of clients that one staffer served in 1967. On top of all this, the SSA's new phone system, implemented in May, seems to have problems of its own. Jen Burdick, a Social Security expert and a divisional supervising attorney with Community Legal Services, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the system's new artificial intelligence could be exacerbating the problem. 'We spend a lot of time calling Social Security offices on people's behalf — sometimes 15 times a day,' Burdick told the Inquirer. 'We're on hold for hours, then get AI bots spewing random information you never asked for before hanging up.' 'It really hurts our clients who are in trouble, trying to navigate this difficult system. It's very upsetting for people,' she added. Staff shortages seem to result occasionally in callers being rerouted to offices in other parts of the country, the Inquirer report adds, and thus the responding staffer is not always able to answer specific questions. Trump is turning one of the country's most important lifelines for the elderly and the disabled into a mess — all for foreseeable reasons. Indiscriminate mass cuts don't represent a serious bid at generating efficiency in administering a public benefit. The only thing these cuts do with any efficiency is rip a major hole in the American safety net. The future doesn't look so good, either. Trump's recently passed 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' is only going to make things worse, since changes in the tax code will accelerate Social Security and Medicare's insolvency. MAGA's policy vision is all about divestment from the common good — and America's collective future. This article was originally published on
