Uneven Benefits Of Education In Reducing Disability

     From Educated but on Social Security Disability Insurance: Minorities’ Diminished Returns by Shervin Assari, Babak Najand, Hossein Zare and Amanda Sonnega:

...  The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between educational attainment (measured in years of schooling) and the likelihood of receiving SSDI, with a specific focus on exploring how this relationship varies by race and ethnicity ...

Higher educational attainment was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of receiving SSDI in the overall sample. However, consistent with the MDRs framework, the protective effect of education was significantly weaker for both Black and Latino individuals compared to non-Latino Whites. Black and Latino participants with similar levels of education as their non-Latino White counterparts were more likely to receive SSDI, reflecting diminished returns on educational attainment for these groups. ...

Merry Christmas

 

New 1696 Asks For Info On Kids -- Why?

     Above is a part of the new form SSA-1696 used to appoint a person as a Social Security claimant's attorney. Notice that it asks for the names of Social Security numbers of the claimant's dependents. This was not required in the past.

    Obtaining this information isn't as easy as one might thing. Parents don't have the Social Security numbers of their children handy. Fathers who are estranged from the mothers of their children may find it impossible to come up with the Social Security numbers. Social Security itself isn't trying to gather the Social Security numbers of dependents at the time a claim is filed.

    What's the point of this? Does Social Security want to play a gotcha game, refusing to pay a fee on dependent benefits unless the name and Social Security number are listed properly?

Merry Christmas

 

Senate Vote Coming On WEP-GPO Bill

     Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, has promised that there will be a vote on the bill to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offsets which reduce Social Security benefits for those receiving pension benefits not based upon earnings upon which there had been no FICA withheld. This is mostly former employees of state and local governments which did not pay the FICA tax. The bill has already passed the House of Representatives.

Merry Christmas

 

How Do You Pronounce Bisignano?

     Don't ask a guy whose surname is Hall how you pronounce the Italian name Bisignano! Fortunately, there are websites to help with questions like this and this website includes audio. Basically, the "g" is silent or nearly silent.

Merry Christmas