Stay current on important Social Security topics. Here you will find our latest articles and analysis on SSA news, filing strategies, and policy issues, because the more information you have, the better decisions you can make.
Be sure to check back often for further updates.
Social Security Administration (SSA) Current Events
Leadership Update: Frank Bisignano, the 18th Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), was recently appointed as the first-ever Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a newly created position that brings an unprecedented dual leadership role in two of the largest federal agencies. Bisignano will continue his role at SSA while simultaneously managing the day-to-day operations of the IRS, reporting to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who serves as acting IRS Commissioner. This appointment bypassed the usual congressional confirmati...
Read moreUnderstanding the Complexity of Social Security Benefits
Understanding the Complexity of Social Security Benefits “What am I entitled to?” That’s the question many people ask when approaching Social Security—and the answer is rarely straightforward. A single individual could potentially qualify for...
Read moreThe latest at SSA
The latest at SSA It’s official – Frank Bisignano, former president and CEO of Fiserv, CEO of First Data, and as the COO of JPMorgan Chase, was sworn in as the Social Security Administration’s newest commissioner on May 7, 2025. Bisignano’s stated priority is to transform SSA into a model of excellence that operates at peak efficiency and delivers outstanding service to every American. SSA’s most recent press release highlights several key achievements. You can review an overview of their stated achievements at: ...
Read moreRecent Events at SSA
Recent Events at SSA Let’s get into the new administration's policies affecting Social Security. Since Martin O’Malley resigned as Commission of SSA on 11/29/24 there have been three acting commissioners: Carolyn W. Colvin 11/30/25 – 02/16/25 who resigned citing her deep concerns over Trump/Musk disruptions at SSA. She was quoted “I’m not sure exactly what their goal is,” said Colvin. “We took the issue of fraud seriously during my time at the agency. Musk is putting out a lot of misinformation that has already been discredited.” Michelle King 01/20/25 – 02/16/25 re...
Read moreNew SSA Legislation
On January 5th , 2025, President Biden signed into law the Social Security Fairness Act of2023 (H.R. 82) that repeals SSA amendment (Public Law 9821) enacted in 1983 creating Social Security Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)computational adjustments applicable to wage earners that had non-covered wages in their lifetime. This change will affect over 2 million beneficiaries.This law will mostly affect federal, state, local government, or foreign retirement pension recipients who have had GPO or WEP applied t...
Read moreProtective Filing
What is protective filing? SSA protects your rights to file your application when they receive a written request indicating intent to file for benefits. This is typically accomplished by you when you reach out to SSA to schedule an appointment or when you establish your online retirement or disability application. Taking these actions protects your filing options and potential month of entitlement. If you're over age 62 and thinking of filing for your retirement soon, it would benefit you to schedule an appointment and discuss your options with SSA. This can be challenging due to the time you ...
Read moreLet’s talk about Widow’s benefits
Am I eligible? To receive widow’s benefits you must be age 60, have been married at least 9 months prior to your spouse’s death (there are some exceptions to this rule), be currently unmarried, provide proof of age, citizenship, marriage, and file an application. When can I claim them? You can file for widow’s benefits at age 60 or as early as age 50 if you are disabled. To be eligible to file for disabled widow’s benefits you must be determined disabled during a prescribed period of eligibility established by SSA. This time frame is usually within 7 years of your spouse’s date of dea...
Read moreSSA updates its debt collection policy
Historically, when an incorrect or overpayment of benefits occurred you would receive an overpayment notice that would demand full repayment within 30 days or your benefits would be placed in full withholding for repayment. Understandably, this could be alarming to the beneficiary who depends on their SSA payments for their monthly bills. If you didn’t agree with the full recovery, you could file an appeal or waiver request of the overpaid funds or negotiate a repayment agreement. The repayment agreement had to be within 36 months or your financial situation would need to be evaluated in order...
Read moreWhat’s New with SSA?
On December 20, 2023, Congress appointed Mr. Martin O’Malley ( https://blog.ssa.gov/martin-j-omalley-sworn-in-as-commissioner-of-social-security-administration/ )as their new permanent commissioner. He is focused currently on reducing long wait times for both in-office and phone inquiries. He will also be addressing the administration’s 25-year low staffing challenges, promoting transparency in operations, and the creation of a common operational platform. It’s that time of year aga...
Read moreWill my child get benefits?
Children may be eligible for benefits if their parent is receiving a Social Security benefit or if that parent has passed away. These benefits are auxiliary benefits in addition to the regular benefit rate and are usually paid to the custodial parent. Children’s benefits are payable until age 18 or until the child graduates high school, up to age 19 and 2 months. All of your natural children are eligible whether they reside with you or not and some step children are also eligible. The amount payable to each child depends if it is a life or survivor case. In life cases, a child’s benefit ...
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