U.S. Rep. John Tanner, chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, urged the Social Security Administration to continue its focus on reducing the unprecedented backlog in disability claims. The number of Americans awaiting a hearing on their disability claims more than doubled from 2000 to 2008. Some claimants are waiting up to three or four years to have their cases heard, Tanner said in written opening remarks. “Because applicants often have little or no income while awaiting a decision on benefits, the backlog has caused severe hardship to hundreds of thousands of Americans with significant disabilities,” Tanner said in his statement. “Today we have good news and bad news to report. First, the good news: After many years of growing backlogs in SSA’s hearing offices, we have finally turned a corner. Since the beginning of 2009, the hearings backlog has begun to slowly decline. ... This shows that Congress’ investment in SSA is starting to pay off.

The subcommittee particularly wants to commend all the dedicated SSA employees who have contributed to this success.” Tanner noted that many West and Middle Tennesseans often must wait months or years to have their disability claims heard.

Beth Bates, a Jackson attorney who works with disability claimants, testified before the subcommittee about the impact of the SSA disability backlog on many Tennesseans she represents. She echoed Tanner’s remarks about the hardships placed on Tennesseans and others with pending claims.“Foreclosures and bankruptcies have increased, with claimants losing their homes and vehicles and their economic stability,” Ms. Bates said in her testimony.

Tanner said Congress is committed to working with SSA to continue progress on the backlog reduction. “Millions of Americans pay Social Security taxes every year with the promise that if they become severely disabled, Social Security will be there for them,” Tanner said in his written statement. “But the lengthy delays many face when they apply for benefits means that we now are falling short on that promise.
I am committed to ensuring that these problems are addressed, so that Americans who apply for disability benefits can receive timely consideration of their cases.” Reducing the disability backlog has been a priority for the Subcommittee. As chairman, Tanner, along with ranking member Sam Johnson (R-TX), also recently wrote to the Government Accountability Office to request an investigation into possible overpayments to Social Security disability beneficiaries who return to work. The overpayments are a burden to both beneficiaries and taxpayers, they said in their letter. Tanner represents the 8th District in West and Middle Tennessee. Co-founder of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, Tanner serves on the Ways and Means Committee, where he chairs the Social Security Subcommittee, and on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Tennessee Army National Guard, Tanner chairs the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and is serving as NATO PA president. Published in The Messenger 11.20.09

Collecting on a Working Partner's Social Security
By KELLY GREENE January 26, 2008

In this example, your salary -- if you file for benefits this year -- will substantially exceed Social Security's annual earnings limit. As a result, you wouldn't receive any benefits -- which means your wife can't receive any, either. Simply put, half of zero is still zero. (To figure out your full retirement age and the amount by which a worker's or spouse's benefit would be reduced by taking it early, go to socialsecurity.gov, click on "Plan your retirement" and then click on "Find your retirement age")Social Security recipients who are younger than their full retirement age are allowed to earn a small paycheck without affecting their benefit. This year, the earnings limit is $13,560. Social Security would deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earn above that limit. So, if you made $100,000 this year, you and your wife together would have to be eligible for more than $64,830 this year in early Social Security benefits for either of you to get any. And that isn't possible; the maximum Social Security benefit for a worker retiring this year at full retirement age is $21,085 (or $31,627.50 for a couple in which one spouse collects based on the other's work record).

If you made less money, your wife might have a shot at collecting benefits, depending on the Social Security benefits for which you are eligible. To get a better idea, go to socialsecurity.gov, again click on "Plan your retirement," then select "Near retirement?" and click on the "earnings limit" calculator.

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The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its annual report on the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds.  While the key dates for program costs exceeding tax revenues and Trust Fund exhaustion remain unchanged, the 2008 Trustees Report shows improvement in the projected long-term financial status of the Social Security program from last year -- particularly in the latter half of the long-range projection period.  This improvement is principally the result of methodological changes for projecting certain aspects of immigration.

In the 2008 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:   >> MORE>>

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