A poll finds that as the Social Security Administration undergoes massive changes and staffing cuts ushered in by the Trump administration, an increasing share of older Americans, particularly Democrats, aren’t confident the benefit will be available to them.

A federal judge has imposed new restrictions on the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to Social Security systems that hold personal data on millions of Americans.

Former President Joe Biden warns that President Donald Trump has “taken a hatchet” to Social Security, weighing in on a critical issue for millions of Americans.

The Trump administration has moved to classify more than 6,000 living immigrants as dead.

Dozens of federal offices were expected to close in Texas, but the reality continues to shift.

The Social Security Administration says it is investigating the root cause of website outages that have affected the “my Social Security” portal where recipients access their benefits.

The Social Security Administration said Wednesday that people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income who are not able to use agency’s online portal, can complete their claim entirely over the phone instead of at an office.

The nominee to lead the Social Security Administration has faced tough questions at his confirmation hearing about efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency to shut down field offices and cut back on phone service.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing people’s private data at the Education Department, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management.

New requirements that Social Security recipients go online or in person to a field office to access key benefits, instead of just making a phone call, will pose challenges for many people.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from Social Security Administration systems that hold personally identifiable data on millions of Americans.

The John F. Kennedy assassination documents released this week disclosed sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers.

The Social Security Administration’s plan to require in-person identity checks for millions of new and existing recipients has drawn ire from lawmakers, advocacy groups and program recipients who are concerned that the government is placing barriers in front of people seeking to access their benefits.

Twenty-six Social Security Administration offices across the country are expected to close this year, due to actions taken by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

In an effort to limit fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration will impose tighter identity-proofing measures.

People across the political battleground of Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. say they're worried about cuts to Social Security.

A federal judge is considering whether to temporarily block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Social Security Administration systems that hold sensitive data on millions of Americans.

Elon Musk says Social Security and other federal benefit programs will be targeted in his hunt for fraudulent spending.

A group of labor unions are asking a federal court for an emergency order to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing the sensitive Social Security data of millions of Americans.

More than 3.2 million Social Security recipients who received pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public service jobs will see an immediate boost in their benefits.

There are many different reasons to stay on top of your credit report, but many people don’t check to see if they have been mistakenly listed as deceased.

The new head of the Social Security Administration says deceased centenarians are “not necessarily receiving benefits."

The Trump administration is falsely claiming tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving improper Social Security payments.

Many U.S. adults believe the federal government is overspending.

The Senate has passed legislation to boost Social Security payments for millions of people.

Nearly 3 million people could receive a boost in Social Security payments under legislation that's set for a final vote in the Senate.

The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people.

If you want to get yourself thoroughly depressed, spend a little time looking at statistics about Americans’ retirement preparedness.

The House has passed legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people.

The House is expected to try next week to pass a Social Security-related bill to ensure benefits for workers who are also eligible for other pensions.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a 2.5% increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments.

Millions of retirees who receive Social Security benefits will see a 2.5% cost-of-living increase to their monthly checks beginning in January.

Social Security recipients are expected to receive a smaller cost-of-living increase in January than in recent years as inflation moderates.

Donald Trump has pledged to end taxes on everything from tips to Social Security and overtime pay if he’s elected to the White House again.

The topic is playing a major role in one of Texas’ only competitive congressional races this year as the competitors debate Medicare, abortion and expanding coverage.

Amy Davis explains how to check your private information and what to do to keep it safe.

A constitutional challenge to the Biden administration program enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs has been revived by a federal appeals court.

According to a new report by BadCredit.org, a financial education platform, 59% of retirees lack sufficient funds for retirement, with more than half forced to change their lifestyle due to financial hardship.

JD Vance repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates as he launched his political career with a bid for the U.S. Senate in Ohio.

The Senate will pursue a spending increase next year of about 3.4% for defense and 2.7% increase for non-defense programs under a bipartisan agreement reached by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

States have for decades been using foster children's federal Social Security benefits to help cover the costs of state services.

A bill to create a bipartisan commission that would tackle the nation’s soaring debt and make policy recommendations to Congress has won approval from a House committee.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a modest increase in benefits in January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments.

The acting Social Security commissioner says a 3_2% increase in benefits next year “will help millions of people keep up with expenses."

Social Security's cost-of-living increase for 2024 will be announced Thursday.

Even with new spending restraints included in the congressional debt limit deal, the U.S. government’s deficits are still on course to keep climbing to record levels over the next few decades.

Americans are deeply opposed to cutting into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and most support raising taxes on the nation’s highest earners to keep Medicare running as is.

An annual report on Social Security and Medicare says the financial safety nets millions of older Americans rely on and millions more young people are counting on will run short on funds to pay full benefits within the next decade.

In the federal budget standoff, the majority of U.S. adults are asking lawmakers to pull off the impossible: Cut the overall size of government, but also devote more money to the most popular and expensive programs.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling for “common sense and compassionate solutions” to reform entitlement programs and the nation’s debt burden.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is proposing changes to entitlement programs for younger generations, opening the door to potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare if elected.

It seems no one wants to cut Social Security or Medicare benefits.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended a plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats repeatedly seized on it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.

The Congressional Budget Office says it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year.

President Joe Biden is taking direct aim at Republicans who have floated cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

When President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security it brought howls of protests from the GOP side of the aisle during the State of the Union address.

A section of the new $1.7 trillion spending bill from Congress has been billed as a dramatic step toward shoring up retirement accounts of millions of workers.

Higher prices throughout much of 2022 have taken their financial toll on older adults in particular.

The news that 70 million people will see an 8.7% boost in their Social Security checks next year came just weeks before Election Day, but it's unlikely to give Democrats the edge they're desperately seeking at the polls.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a major increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment (or COLA) is added to Social Security payments.

Millions of Social Security recipients will get an 8.7% boost in their benefits in 2023.

It’s not just old people who will get what’s expected to be the largest cost-of-living adjustment in Social Security benefits in 40 years.

A stronger-than-expected economic recovery from the pandemic has pushed back the go-broke dates for Social Security and Medicare, but officials warn that the current economic turbulence is putting additional pressures on the bedrock retirement programs.

Olivia and Liam are once again America’s most common baby names.

The head of a Senate panel that oversees Medicare says the Biden administration should cut back a hefty premium increase soon to hit millions of enrollees.

Rising inflation is expected to lead to a sizeable increase in Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for the year 2022.

The sharp shock of the coronavirus recession pushed Social Security a year closer to insolvency but left Medicare’s exhaustion date unchanged, the government reported Tuesday.

Even for those of us who think we have some knowledge about anything tax related, it can be a stressful time. And it's certainly not a time when you want to play a guessing game.

HOUSTON – Want to know how much you’ll be getting on your next stimulus check? The Second Stimulus Check Calculator, created by Omni, calculates your upcoming check using your income taxes from 2019 (including your adjusted gross income (AGI) for 2019), the number of children in your household and your filing status. The calculator will be updated if there is any change to the $900 billion rescue package passed on Sunday. Most Americans will receive a $600 stimulus check under the new bill, while others will receive an extra $300 for each child dependent under age 17. To learn more about the calculator and requirements to receive your check, click here.

WASHINGTON – Social Security recipients will get a modest 1.3% cost-of living-increase in 2021, but that might be small comfort amid worries about the coronavirus and its consequences for older people. The economic fallout from the virus has reduced tax collections for Social Security and Medicare, likely worsening their long-term financial condition. The former vice president would raise Social Security taxes by applying the payroll tax to earnings above $400,000 a year. That amount generally increases, so at least some of any additional Social Security raise goes to health care premiums. That prompted Congress to pass recent election-year legislation that limits next year’s premium increase but gradually collects the full amount later on under a repayment mechanism.

HOUSTON – The coronavirus pandemic shut down a lot of operations, but there is actually one we all wanted to go away: those scam calls claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. If you do call, they will attempt to get you to “verify” or “confirm” your social security number. Don’t ever give your social security number to anyone by phone, not even the last four digits. The Social Security Administration will never call you and threaten you with arrest or any other kind of legal action. The Social Security Office of the Inspector General has set up a complaint form to collect information on the calls.

It allows employers to offer their workers a temporary deferral of the 6.2% payroll tax employees pay into the Social Security Trust Fund for the rest of this year. Regardless of the practical impact of Treasurys action, it appears Social Security will be thrust into the election maelstrom. Trump has also teased that if hes reelected he would press for a permanent cut in Social Security taxes. As a candidate in 2016, Trump promised not to cut Social Security and Medicare, and Democrats say he has now abandoned that promise. Administration officials say any legislation would repay the Social Security Trust Fund as well.

HOUSTON – The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently released updated data outlining when it believes the trust funds — which help ensure there’s enough money to pay full benefits — will run dry. The same day the Social Security Board of Trustees released that information, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) released its own projections. RELATED: Social Security and Medicare funds at risk even before virusWhichever year it ends up being, that year is coming soon and if nothing changes, there will come a time when Social Security recipients’ benefits will have to be cut. Unemployment : With more than 30 million people out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic, a huge chunk of the population is paying less into Social Security. “Social Security recipients pay taxes on their benefits if their incomes exceed $25,000 ($32,000 for a couple filing jointly).

Previous stimulus payments in 2001 and 2008 have been delivered by both direct deposit and checks in the mail, but mobile payment services like Venmo want to play a role this time. The IRS will use your 2019 tax return, if you've already filed it, or your 2018 return to calculate the amount of your payment. Even those who don't normally need to file a tax return may have to in order to receive their payment. Social Security recipients will automatically receive stimulus payThe Treasury Department, clearing up confusion, said Wednesday that Social Security recipients will not have to file a tax return in order to receive the economic stimulus payments the government is preparing to send out. Those who do not receive their Social Security benefits via direct deposit will be sent a paper check.

U.S. citizens who receive Social Security benefits can expect to get a stimulus check, according to many reports. “The proposed bill includes language that allows Americans receiving Social Security—many of whom are retired and don’t file taxes—to obtain direct financial assistance through the coronavirus stimulus package,” according to Fortune Magazine. To determine their rebate, beneficiaries’ data will be accessed by the government through the Social Security Administration, Fortune Magazine reports. Under the $2 trillion stimulus package, those who qualify will receive the following amounts:$1,200 for a single adult who did not make more than $75,000, according to their filed 2019 taxes. $2,400 for a married couple who filed jointly and did not make more than 150,000, according to their 2019 taxes.

HOUSTON – If you plan to rely on your Social Security benefits to get by after retirement, you will likely not have enough to pay your monthly expenses. Making matters worse, there are several Social Security myths that are costing older Americans thousands of dollars in lost benefits. 1:You need their social security benefits now because when you are retirement age, the Social Security system will be dried up. 2:You should take your Social Security benefit early and invest the money each month so that when you need it, you will have earned more. You can also work with a Social Security certified financial consultant to put together a Social Security analysis using your benefit and income information.

Figuring out what you owe can be complicated, here is some information to understand what is taxable under Social Security. Social Security is taxable at three different levels, based upon how much other income you have and your income tax filing status. This is 50% of your household Social Security benefits plus all of your other taxable income, plus any tax-free income. These breakpoints are the same if your filing status is Married Filing Separately and the couple does not live together during the tax year. If your Provisional Income (defined above) is less than the first breakpoint based on your filing status, then none of your Social Security is taxable.

Helpful phone numbers for Health Care Reform questionsPublished: September 30, 2013, 7:11 pmHOUSTON – Here are some helpful phone numbers to get your Health Care Reform questions answered: Health Insurance Marketplace: 800-318-2596 Medicare 800-633-4227 Medicaid 866-762-2237 Social Security 800-772-1213 SHOP for small business owners 800-706-7893 Check out our full coverage in our Health Care Reform section by clicking here. Copyright 2013 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.