... [I]n some cases, the actions of the financial institutions in carrying out court [garnishment] orders are of questionable legality, according to a new report by the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General.The inspector general found that some financial institutions are apparently violating federal law by garnishing accounts that receive electronic deposits of old age, survivors and disability insurance, and/or supplemental security income payments. These funds are supposed to be protected from creditors except under certain conditions. ...
During a 12-month period beginning September 2006, the 12 largest banks took $1 million from accounts that held only government benefits. An additional $29 million was taken from accounts that held government benefits money mixed with cash from other sources, according to the report. The inspector general also found in some cases that banks were charging legal processing fees, overdraft charges or insufficient-funds charges as the result of a garnishment.
Although the sample size in this investigation was relatively small, the inspector general's report concluded that if all financial institutions followed the pattern of those investigated, as much as $177.7 million in garnishments could be attributable to beneficiaries receiving direct deposit of Social Security benefits.
Jul 13, 2008
Washington Post On Garnishment Of Social Security Benefits
From the Washington Post:
And here is a link to the Inspector General report.
Social Security Selects Prime Contractor For Distance Learning
From a press release issued by Hughes Network Systems, LLC:
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite network solutions and services, today announced it has been selected as prime contractor by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide operational support services for its distance learning network and has received an initial task order for $4M.
Under the agreement, issued through the U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA) SATCOM-II contract vehicle, SSA has outsourced the operation and support of its Interactive Video Tele-training (IVT) Network to Hughes. ...
Jul 12, 2008
Powerful TV Story On Backlogs
WGRZ-TV in Buffalo is running a lengthy story (more than six minutes) on Social Security's terrible backlogs in adjudicating disability claims. The story includes interviews with Congressman Brian Higgins and Senator Chuck Schumer.
I know that the description of the problems suffered by the claimant who is used as an example may give you pause, but that is merely a television reporter's understanding of a claimant's understanding of her medical problems. It should not be surprising if there is a lot misunderstood along the way. There are plenty of people who give similarly incoherent accounts of their medical conditions who are genuinely in terrible shape. I talk with them every day and try to help them better understand what their doctors have said and what they are experiencing so they can testify in a coherent fashion.
If you have wondered why there have been so many backlog stories coming from the Buffalo area, watch. The reason is one person, Linda Fullerton. It makes you wonder what would happen if there were a hundred or a thousand people out there like Ms. Fullerton pressing Congress and the media.
By the way, the reporter's desire to blame President Bush and former President Clinton may not be completely off the mark, but, by far, the bigger problem was Republican control of Congress between 1994 and 2006. This is not Republican bashing. This is plain fact.
I know that the description of the problems suffered by the claimant who is used as an example may give you pause, but that is merely a television reporter's understanding of a claimant's understanding of her medical problems. It should not be surprising if there is a lot misunderstood along the way. There are plenty of people who give similarly incoherent accounts of their medical conditions who are genuinely in terrible shape. I talk with them every day and try to help them better understand what their doctors have said and what they are experiencing so they can testify in a coherent fashion.
If you have wondered why there have been so many backlog stories coming from the Buffalo area, watch. The reason is one person, Linda Fullerton. It makes you wonder what would happen if there were a hundred or a thousand people out there like Ms. Fullerton pressing Congress and the media.
By the way, the reporter's desire to blame President Bush and former President Clinton may not be completely off the mark, but, by far, the bigger problem was Republican control of Congress between 1994 and 2006. This is not Republican bashing. This is plain fact.
Updated Fee Payment Stats
The Social Security Administration has posted updated statistics on payment of fees to attorneys and others for representing Social Security claimants. This is a good analogue to show the ups and downs in payments of back benefits to newly entitled claimants. The numbers are below:
Fee Payments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Month/Year | Volume | Amount |
Jan-08 | 20,559 | $75,368,163.45 |
| Feb-08 | 26,570 | $95,228,284.32 |
Mar-08 | 23,088 | $83,166,027.02 |
Apr-08 | 27,296 | $98,616,579.78 |
May-08 | 29,305 | $104,283,373.35 |
June-08 | 25,243 | $89,786,459.83 |
Jul 11, 2008
Results Of Last Week's Unscientific Poll
How Did You Spend Your Fourth Of July?
| At the beach (8) | 10% |
| |
| At a lake (5) | 6% |
| |
| Poolside (2) | 3% |
| |
| In the mountains (2) | 3% |
| |
| Other vacation destination (3) | 4% |
| |
| Traveling to visit family or friends (5) | 6% |
| |
| Staying home but getting together with family or friends (26) | 33% |
| |
| Catching up with chores around the house or yard (9) | 11% |
| |
| Didnt't do anything much (16) | 20% |
| |
| Working (3) | 4% |
|
Total Votes: 79
Closer To Social Security Treaty With India
The possibility of a U.S. Social Security treaty with India is not much of a story in the U.S., but it draws a lot of attention in India. From the Indian Express of Mumbai:
... A long-standing Indian demand for a social security pact that allows Indian workers stationed in the US to bring back their contributions to the US Social Security system on their return to India, is close to being met.Over $1 billion of contributions to the US Social Security Fund are made annually by an estimated 80,000 “detached workers” from India working on consultancy and onsite assignments — each one has to contribute at the rate of 15% of basic salary. However, when they return to India, these contributions are forfeited as the minimum period to qualify for pension benefits in the US is 10 years (the same is true of India as well).
After a series of meetings between Indian officials and the US Social Security Administration as well as a senior White House official in Washington last week, Indian workers’ annual donations to the US social security fund — which currently has a $4.1 trillion deficit — may finally come to an end.
“We are close to sealing the pact. Indian workers who spend three years in the US would get a refund of their contributions to the US pension system. Moreover, the pension will also be portable — once a worker completes the qualifying period of 10 years, the pension will be payable in either country,” a senior government official said. ...
Between December 2007 and now, India has made some progress on this front which it convinced the US administration about. The Unorganised Sector Workers’ Social Security Bill has been introduced in Parliament as well as reviewed by a standing committee. ...
“It has been an intractable wall we have been chipping away at for years, but this time, we feel they are convinced that there is a sound social security sytem in India,” the official said. ...
Jul 10, 2008
Backog Report
The National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) has obtained from Social Security and published statistics on the hearing backlogs at each of Social Security's hearing offices as of the end of May. Thumbnails of each page are reproduced here. Click on each thumbnail to view it full size.
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