A Couple Of Social Security Factoids

From the York, Nebraska News-Times:

Q: How much has Social Security paid out since it started?
A: From 1937 (when the first payments were made) through 2009, the Social Security program has expended $11.3 trillion.

Q: How much has Social Security taken in taxes and other income since it started?
A: From 1937 (when taxes were first collected) through 2009, the Social Security program has received $13.8 trillion in income.

Most Popular Baby Names

 A press release from Social Security:

Jacob and Isabella are king and queen of the crib for another year.  This is the twelfth year in a row on our list for Jacob and the second for Isabella, although 2010 has a new number two for girls, Sophia.  The only new name to crawl into the top 10 on either list this year is Aiden, which replaces Joshua on the boys’ side. 

For all the top baby names of 2010, go to Social Security’s website www.socialsecurity.gov.  Here are the top 10 boys and girls names for 2010:

Boys:	1) Jacob	Girls:	1) Isabella
	2) Ethan		2) Sophia
	3) Michael		3) Emma
	4) Jayden		4) Olivia
	5) William		5) Ava
	6) Alexander		6) Emily
	7) Noah		7) Abigail
	8) Daniel		8) Madison
	9) Aiden		9) Chloe
	10) Anthony		10) Mia

Effects Of Budget Cuts

I am hearing that there is a near complete hiring freeze across Social Security for the remainder of the fiscal year but some limited overtime. There may be some limited hiring of Administrative Law Judges to replace those leaving.

If you are a Social Security employee, what are you hearing and seeing? What effects are you seeing where you are? What do you expect for the future?

New Ways To View Social Security News

Blogger is now offering five "dynamic views" for its public blogs, such as Social Security News. I don't quite see the point but maybe you will.

• Flipcard
• Mosaic
• Sidebar
• Snapshot
• Timeslide

By the way, I get asked from time to time why I don't allow blog feeds. The answer is that I do. I know it's possible because I've done it. If you have problems with the blog feed, you need to talk with Blogger, not me.

Big Time Fraud Alleged

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

A North Oaks couple who moved here in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have wrongfully collected more than $430,000 in medical and disability benefits for their children since 2006, according to an affidavit filed in federal court.

James and Cynthia Hood have claimed those benefits -- meant for people with limited financial resources -- despite having a combined retirement portfolio of more than $1 million, more than a dozen bank accounts with a total of nearly $1 million in cash and two homes worth more than $1 million combined. Special Agent Jane Lewis, an investigator for the Social Security Administration, said in an affidavit that the Hoods' extensive assets would have made them ineligible for such aid.

OIDAP Meeting

Social Security's Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel (OIDAP) is holding a meeting today and tomorrow. On the schedule today and tomorrow are several speakers from the Department of Labor and the U.S. Census who will be describing how they have gone about collecting occupational information. The first day will end with this presentation:

Occupational/Medical/Vocational—Initial Claims Review Final Results
Deborah Harkin, Social Insurance Specialist
Office of Vocational Resources Development

Mark Trapani, Social Science Research Analyst
Office of Vocational Resources Development

I wonder what that is.

You can read the entire "public" agenda below.

OIDAP Public Agenda--May 2011

Fact Sheet On Possible COLA Changes

The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) has prepared a useful fact sheet on possible changes to Social Security's cost of living adjustment (COLA). This is a boring topic to be sure but a change in Social Security's COLA may be the most likely "reform" of Social Security because it would be a sneaky, confusing way to cut future Social Security benefits.

But I Thought You Wanted A Smaller Government

The Citrus County Commissioners have voted unanimously to protest the closing of Social Security's satellite office in Citrus, Florida.

By the way, Citrus County gave 57% of its votes in the last Presidential election to John McCain.