There has been a lot of political talk lately about no longer taxing Social Security payments. (Like they promised when it was created back in the Roosevelt administration.)

Former President Donald Trump, in a campaign promise, vowed to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits. “Seniors should not pay taxes on Social Security,” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, which he also repeated several times during his campaign run.

This proposal would impact as upwards of 67 million taxpayers who currently claim monthly retirement and disability program benefit checks if it happens.  While the idea sounds great, this proposal to end Social Security taxes could destabilize your benefit amount in the long term.

Social Security-related scams are very common, according to a March report from the Federal Trade Commission, which said it’s the number one “government imposter scam in the United States.”   In 2023 alone, consumers reported losing more than $126.5 million in Social Security-related scams.  That's millions!

The U.S. Social Security Administration announced this week that a $600 payment increase scam has been promoted online. Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley said, “Reports of a $600 payment increase are FALSE, please be aware and don’t fall for this stunt.”

The Social Security Administration has just released a streamlined process for obtaining standard replacement Social Security Cards for lost cards; however, if you need to make a change to your card (name change, etc.) you cannot use the new process.

To utilize this new feature, constituents must have a valid, unexpired US driver’s license or state id, a working web camera, a valid email address to receive a Microsoft Teams invitation, and a computer. Participants must download Teams prior to their scheduled appointment with a Social Security Administration representative. To set up an appointment and use this feature, please call 1-888-397-5325.