Did Lyndon Johnson Steal From the Social Security Trust Fund?
The author says that a pervasive online myth is that Lyndon Johnson stole money from the Social Security trust fund in order to pay for the Vietnam war.
Social Security
Social Security Benefit for Resident Alien
My wife is German, but is a resident alien of the US. Will she be entitled to a Social Security benefit even though she has not worked in the US?
The Trust Fund Money Has Already Been Spent
The money in the Social Security trust fund is gone. The author offers some details about why this is the case and says that Social Security can still be a good program if the money were to be replaced.
How Much is the Maximum Annuity Supplement?
The procedure for calculating the supplement is clearly spelled out in Chapter 51 of the CSRS & FERS Handbook, but it is a difficult process. The author offers a more concise explanation.
Social Security: The 3rd Rail of Politics
The author says that the House budget proposal released recently isn’t about the math of Social Security, but rather just about the politics of the debate over what to do with the program.
Ryan Budget Calls for Hike in Federal Employee Retirement Contributions
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) released the 2015 House Republican budget today which contains some proposals that would directly impact the federal workforce.
GPO, WEP and Your Future Social Security Benefits
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) are two provisions of the Social Security law that affect Social Security benefits to which CSRS retirees may be entitled. The author provides some details about these as they relate to federal employees.
For New Retirees: More Money in the Interim Payment
When Federal employees retire, they start getting “interim” payments, almost immediately. These payments are approximately 60% of the final, fully annuity. For FERS employees under age 62, there is also an annuity supplement of hundreds of dollars. The author offers details on these annuity payments.
The Impact of Life Expectancy on Social Security
The author says that increasing life expectancies in America creates two financial burdens for Social Security and offers some detail on what this means.
Understanding and Getting the Most Out of FERS
This is a basic guide to help federal employees understand some of the key points of the FERS system.
