Monthly Social Security Stats

Social Security has issued its monthly statistics for Title II and Title XVI.

New Jersey Man Indicted For Social Security Fraud

The Asbury Park Press reports that a Toms River, N.J. man has been indicted for fraud for accepting over $200,000 in Social Security disability and workers compensation benefits while working for his son's home improvement business.

Boston Lawyer Convicted Of Social Security Fraud

Prominent Boston lawyer Robert Gerrard has been sentenced to three years of probation for continuining to receive his mother's Social Security benefits for 16 years after she died, according to Boston.com news. His law license has also been suspended.

Plan Coming to Offset VA Benefits Offset By Social Security?

There are reports that Terry Scott, the chairman of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, which was recently set up by Congress to study VA benefits, is pushing a plan to offset veteran's disability benefits by Social Security disability benefits. Any such offset, which would be unpopular with veterans, would have to be passed by Congress and signed by the president.

Lockhart Nominated To OFHEO

Bloomberg.com reports that James Lockhart, Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, has been nominated by President Bush to become head of OFHEO, the agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the federal housing corporations. There had been earlier published reports that Lockhart had declined the post. President Bush must now nominate a new Deputy Commissioner for Social Security for confirmation by the Senate.

This Day In History

The first U.S. Social Security checks were distributed on April 27, 1937, according to LMT Online.

Dating Over The Internet

The Social Security Administration has published final regulations dealing with the filing date to be assigned to claims for benefits filed over the internet. The issue arises because a claimant may start to file a claim over the internet, but not complete the process until a later date. The date of filing may affect the number of months of benefits to be paid to the claimant. The new rule indicates that normally Social Security will use the date that the claimant began filing the claim. This is consistent with Social Security practice when claimants use the telephone to start the claim. The new regulations also correct a small error in the existing regulations on widows benefits.

New Chief ALJ -- Acting

David Hatfield, an Administrative Law Judge who has been working in Pittsburg, has been appointed national Chief Administrative Law Judge at Social Security on an acting basis. He replaces David Washington, who will return to the hearing office in Minneapolis.