News

  • Your Social Security Benefits Buying Less

    Shopping For a Better Drug Plan NOW Can Put More Money in Your 2020 Budget .Did your husband work in 2020? If his earnings averaged more than ,260 per month, he generally would not be considered disabled. .Many Members of Congress will hold town hall meetings throughout the recess, giving voters an excellent opportunity to voice their views and concerns. In the upcoming week, the following Members of Congress, among others, will hold town halls in their states and districts. … Continued

  • Social Security Can Strengthened Without Cutting Benefits

    As we foresaw last week, Congress was not able to finish its work by the end of the day last Friday and had to pass two continuing resolutions (CR) in order to give themselves more time. The current CR runs through next Monday, the 28th. .Last fall, the Government Accountability Office uncovered .3 billion in improper payments from December 2010 to January 2013 made to people who had jobs when they were supposed to be unable to work. To be eligible for Social Security disability, beneficiaries must be unable to work due to a medical condition that's expected to last at least one year, or result in death. The list, however, includes murky afflictions like back pain, depression and other un-measurable afflictions, opening the system to fraud and abuse. .By the end of this year, lawmakers could enact legislation that would trim Social Security benefits, threaten access to care for Medicare beneficiaries, and make millions of immigrants eligible for benefits based on illegal work. With so much currently at stake, it is more important than ever for seniors to learn about – and possibly challenge – the positions of their elected officials. … Continued

Give family recipe or ethnic specialty cooking lessons. As a child I learned how to make Pennsylvania German egg noodles from scratch from my grandmother. These were a highly treasured holiday gifts. My arms still ache remembering how long I had to roll the dough to get those noodles thin enough for my grandmother! Give out an invitation to special grandchildren or friends for lessons in making favorite traditional foods from scratch. .In setting prices, drug makers rarely acknowledge the considerable federal funding and research that have helped develop their products; they have not offered taxpayer-investors financial payback. .Other Legislation Also Targets Scams and Fraud Against Seniors .The age at which you start receiving full Social Security benefits varies depending upon the year you were born. For people like you who turn 66 in 2021, your full retirement age is 66 and two months. For more retirement planning information visit www.SocialSecurity.gov. .Some financial advisors say that there may be some tax advantages to taking money out now while valuations are lower. This information is not intended as investment advice. We strongly recommend that you contact the custodian of your 401(k) or your financial advisor and discuss a plan for your income needs and to explore potential sources of funds. .In order to pass it all 50 Democratic Senators would have to support the legislation. If that were not the case there would have to be enough Republican Senators voting "yes" to reach at least 50 votes in favor of passage. .TSCL is supportive of both of Rep. DeFazio's bills, and we were pleased to see support grow for them this week. .For more information on town hall meetings near you during the August recess, click HERE. For more sample town hall questions, read this month's Legislative Update HERE. .Finally, two new cosponsors – Senator Cory Booker (NJ) and Senator Deb Fischer (NE) – signed on to the bipartisan CREATES Act (S. 974), bringing the total up to thirty in the Senate. If adopted, the bill would increase competition in the prescription drug industry by encouraging generic and biosimilar drug manufacturers to introduce their products to the market more quickly.