TERRY SAVAGE RE: SOCIAL SECURITY

 

March 30,2025

Social Security: True or False? There has been so much confusion about potential – and real – changes to Social Security that I am writing this column/newsletter, and will consistently update it at TerrySavage.com, with the latest real-time, FACTUAL information, and answers to your questions. More than 72 million Americans depend on Social Security retirement or supplemental income or disability benefits.  It is unthinkable that the system could fail – even for a short period of time.   For those in the lowest 20% of income, 82% rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income! Although the billionaire  Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, recently opined that his mother-in-law wouldn’t notice a missed Social Security check, she is certainly in the minority!    While the Doge “bull-in-the-china-shop” approach is certainly concerning, I continue to believe that Congress – both parties – will realize the seriousness of the situation with Social Security and exercise some control. In the meantime, except for contacting your representatives of BOTH PARTIES and advocacy groups like AARP and the Alliance of Retired Americans – there is nothing you can do, and no reason to panic.  Be sure to get your news from reputable sources, because there is a lot of fear-mongering and hyperbole out there.  The reality is bad enough without scare tactics.    The below list of True or False questions and answers about Social Security will be continuously updated, reflecting the latest news – The Savage Truth.  And, please post your questions on my AskTerry blog at www.TerrySavage.com.                                                                                 ****** Q.  Must I re-register to continue collecting my Social Security? A.  No!  If you are currently collecting Social Security benefits you do NOT have to re-register or contact SS in any way --- UNLESS, you want to make changes in your account or banking information.   Q.  I have heard I have to go in person to a Social Security office to sign up for Social Security, or make changes.  Is that true? A.  Acting Commissioner [and shortly we should have a new real Commissioner] Lee Dudek has decreed that in order to avoid fraud, registrations for SS will not be taken over the phone.  That can only be done online at SSA.gov [here’s the link:  Apply for Social Security Benefits | SSA]      Your best bet at getting any changes done is online.  If you don’t have computer access or aren’t computer savvy, go to your local public library.  Many are offering special services to seniors. At SSA.gov, you can apply for retirement benefits, spousal benefits, survivor’s benefits, and SSI.  It’s all done online.   Q.  I heard that they are closing so many SS offices, so how will I be able to get an appointment? A.  Acting Commissioner Dudek has walked back his plans to close SS offices, and on Thursday, March 27th, he issued a statement denying media reports that the Social Security Administration has permanently closed some field offices. Yet earlier this month, the SSA  announced it would reduce staffing to 50,000 from its current level of 57,000 employees and reduce its 10 regional oversight offices to four.  Read more here:  Social Security Is Not Giving Straight Answers on Field Office Closures. And here’s the latest press release from SSA, denying office closures:  https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/releases/2025/#2025-03-27-a   Q.  Is there another way I can find out what my benefits SHOULD be, after the end of the WEP, and whether I should claim on my own record or that of my spouse (or ex-spouse)? A.  It is increasingly difficult to get in touch with Social Security as we are all now aware.  But here’s one helpful alternative: Larry Kotlikoff (Social Security expert and my co-author of Social Security Horror Stories) has a great website – www.MaximizeMySocialSecurity.com.  There, for $49, you can securely run both your SS information and that of your spouse (or ex-spouse, or late spouse) to see what benefits you SHOULD be receiving – especially now that the WEP and GPO reductions have been eliminated by the Fairness Act.   Once you know what benefit you should be getting, it will be easier to deal with SS when you do get in touch.   Q.   When will I get my Fairness Act payments for WEP and GPO? A.  Millions of recipients who had their SS retirement benefits (or spousal benefits) reduced because of the WEP and GPO have already received two things:  1)  a large deposit to “catch up” for the reductions in 2024 and Jan/Feb of 2025.  Some of those deposits are as large as $10,000.   And 2) when they get their regular monthly deposit, it is larger, because it is no longer reduced by the WEP. NOTE:  If you have not received your “catch-up” payment yet, or your higher monthly benefit, please wait until at least May.  This is a huge project involving re-programming millions of recipients’ accounts. IMPORTANT:  If you never registered for SS because of the WEP reduction, you must do so now – ONLINE – see instructions above.  But, you’ll also want to use the MaximizeMySocialSecurity software to know exactly what amount you should expect to receive each month.   Q.  I hear you need to create a new sign-in to get to your account at Social Security online. A.  Everyone should create their own “mySocialSecurity” account online at SSA.gov.  Here is the direct link:  my Social Security | SSA Many people have already created their own account, which allows them to track their earnings records, and their benefits. BUT, if you created your “mySocialSecurity” account more than 3 years ago – or if  you are just creating an account now – there is a new security procedure.  You’ll need to set up a secure account at Login.gov.  (That account is also used for TSA travel registration, VA benefits, the Labor Department for state unemployment insurance applications,  and other government functions and websites.)  Login.gov gives you access to many government websites, with one saved email and password.  It uses two-factor authentication – meaning you will need to confirm any attempts to log in, much as your bank likely does.  (Yes, it sounds complex, but you’ll get used to it.)   Q.  I just received a clawback notification from Social Security telling me ALL my benefits would be suspended for years until this huge amount – their overpayment mistake – can be recouped.  I thought they could only take 10% of your check. How will I live?? A.  The former Social Security Commissioner, Martin O’Malley, recognized the unfairness of trying to fix the agency’s mistakes by completely suspending benefits.  Instead, he decreed that only 10% would be withheld.  Acting Commissioner Dudek announced the policy change to demand immediate 100% suspension of benefits in the case of newly-issued clawback notices, starting March 27th. That’s ironic, since one of the major sources of errors leading to clawbacks was the now-ended WEP and GPO pension offset, which the agency failed to consider.  If you get a clawback notice, you are entitled to appeal  based on inaccuracy, or request a waiver because you are impoverished.  But this process can take a long time, working through the SS website or waiting to get an in-person appointment. SocialSecurityAdvisors.com can help you with appeals.  This change will not affect people who have already agreed to a 10% withholding to repay clawbacks, nor to beneficiaries of SSI programs for the impoverished or children. But the agency will once again confiscate tax refunds to offset its clawbacks, something that was suspended during the pandemic.   I fully expect that when these 100% clawbacks go into effect in the coming weeks, starting with benefits payments that are not deposited in April, there will be such a hue and cry that this 100% clawback policy will be adjusted.   Q.  How can I effectively protest and let my Congressional representatives know how angry I am? AARP will be leading the charge against these changes that threaten delivery of SS benefits to 72 million seniors.   Click on this link at the AARP.org website to find out how to effectively contact Congress about this issue:  AARP Urges Outreach to Congress Over Social Security   Q.  I hear the Doge people are “messing around” with the computers at Social Security.  Should I be worried? A.  Social Security programming was written more than 60 years ago in “Cobol” – a computer language that is highly outdated.  Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.  That has caused some consternation that benefits would be interrupted and delayed.  Musk claims Artificial Intelligence can do the job easily.  I’m more worried about human stupidity.   We shall see if the nominee for  Commissioner – a seasoned financial transactions executive – can safely organize what should be done, and when.  But an overhaul of the systems at SSA is long overdue.  Want to learn more?  Read this:  DOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Code Base in Months, Risking Benefits and System Collapse | WIRED Q.  Who will be the new Social Security Commissioner? A.  The nominee is Frank Bisignano, former CEP of FiServ, a highly respected financial services technology and payments company.  Ideally, Bisignano would have the kind of expertise needed to modernize Social Security’s antiquated technology.   But according to an excellent newsletter by Charles T. Hall, “Frank Bisignano, President Donald Trump’s nominee to run the Social Security Administration, testified under oath at his confirmation hearing Tuesday that he has had no contact with the Elon Musk cost-cutting team that is directing a major downsizing of the agency.  But Sen. Ron Wyden (Oregon), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said the claim is “not true,” citing an account the senator said he received from a senior Social Security official who recently left the agency.. . describing  “numerous contacts Mr. Bisignano made with the agency since his nomination,” including “frequent” conversations with senior executives.  Read more at:  https://socsecnews.blogspot.com/ There will be a further consideration of this nomination of Frank Bisignano to be Commissioner of Social Security Administration (SSA) during an executive session of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, April 1 at 10:00 AM.   Q.  What is this “Doge Dividend Check” I’ve been hearing about? A.  It seems to be a figment of Elon Musk’s very creative imagination.  He has speculated that the President (remember, Elon is not elected) would “pass on” some of the savings from their government cuts (and the fraud and waste he expects to find in SS) to the general public in a new sort of “stimulus check.”  BUT,  it would require an act of Congress to make a payment.  And with the government running up against the debt ceiling, any “found money” from slashing government spending and employment would likely go toward limiting increases in the national debt. Want to read more about this vague promise:  Elon Musk Promises ‘More Social Security’ In Dubious Charm Offensive And that story brings us back to the massive uncertainty, rumors, headlines, and political maneuvering on the topic of Social Security – for now, and in the future.   It’s difficult to keep your blood pressure under control.  A  Final Savage Truth: I continue to advise waiting until full retirement age – or even age 70, if you can afford it – to collect your Social Security benefits.  Waiting guarantees you a higher monthly benefit – about 8% for every year you wait until age 70. We all know that changes must be made to ensure the future solvency of the program, beyond 2035.  Those changes likely must involve raising the wage cap on SS “contributions”, delaying retirement for much younger workers, and other creative blends of changes.  But if Social Security is allowed to fail, the economic, political and social implications for ANY administration, and our entire society, would be such a calamity that it would overwhelm any appeal of “government efficiency.”   The Baby Boom generation – of both political party persuasions – has a keen instinct for history, democracy – and their own self-interest! That’s the Savage Truth.

www.TerrySavage.com

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:15am.

Microsoft Hotmail still says, “You’re out of storage. You can’t send email and won’t be able to receive in 1 day.” But I did a test message and it arrived so maybe that’s just a misleading threat.

Teresa thought the weather in Jerico was about the same as Medellin but wasn’t sure. At her recommendation I wore my convertible hiking pants, a t-shirt with sleeves and brought my jacket.

At 9am Teresa was ready to go and gave me the go-ahead to order a car. The Didi app said something about a low signal and it seemed like it wanted to pick us up down on Ave Las Vegas. I cancelled that and switched to Uber which worked but the price went up from about 10,000 pesos to 18,872 pesos. At Terminal Sur we bought one way-tickets to Jerico for 83,000 pesos – quite a bit higher than our usual Sunday trips. The bus was scheduled to leave at 10am so we had time to buy bags of chips before we left.

It was a large bus and I observed areas I hadn’t seen in years as we headed south. I saw the “new bridge” before the finca, the “new tunnel”, and finally the road leading up to the finca.

I haven’t posted a photo of one of these in a while, it’s what they do to prevent landslides that would block the roads.

Approaching Jerico there were some low hanging clouds that we ended up climbing into which limited our distance view.

We arrived in Jerico at 12:45, so 2 hours and 45 minutes. I was surprised how chilly it was, but happy I was dressed for it. We quickly found a restaurant called Casa Arte and it did have lots of art in it. I thought this was an interesting painting…

Look at it carefully then scroll down to the bottom to get the complete picture.

We had their lunch of the day which wasn’t anything special and I hated their juice. It was only 44mil so that wasn’t too bad.

We walked around the town square, the same as all other pueblos with the church at one end, surrounded by restaurants, cafes, and other stores. We finally settled on a small café called Cielo Tierra where we had pretty decent lattes with a slice of carrot cake to share.

Teresa checked out a few stores but there wasn’t much she found interesting.

Back at the bus station a bus was just pulling away but we bought tickets to the next bus (5pm) back to Medellin. It was only 4:15 and we were across the street from the church so we went in and Teresa got communion during mass. Mass ended about 4:45 and we walked back across the street and got on the next bus.

As we left Jardin there were a few beautiful views of the valley far below.

After a couple hours I was wondering what happened to the expressway as it seemed we were on back roads.

 

Traffic got heavy as we approached Medellin and just before the toll booth we stopped dead. We didn’t move again for 10 minutes, the only ones moving were the motorcycles who as usual move to the head of the pack. This was soon complicated by an ambulance that we had to move over for. It took 30 minutes to get through this funnel to the toll booth. The bus stopped multiple times to pick people up and drop people off. The good news is they dropped us off at the Envigado station where we could take a taxi back to the apt. the trip back from Jardin took 4 hours compared to the 2 ¾ hours to get there. (I think Teresa might be done for a while with exploring these little pueblos.)

I immediately went into my pre-sleep routine.

 

THE COMPLETE PICTURE

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up twice during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:30am.

It’s Saturday, that means blueberry pancakes with pecans for breakfast. Yum!

Again, Microsoft Hotmail says, “You’re out of storage. You can’t send email and won’t be able to receive in 1 day.”

I’m down to 0.4GB/100GB, 0% used.

I’m deleting chess photos from Dec 11, 2019 and now I’m down to 0.3GB.

I left the apt at 8:15 and first I had to stop in Ara to pick up a few items for Teresa. I walked to the mall, withdrew 2,000,000 pesos in mixed bills from a Davivienda ATM then at the lone Bancolombia consignacion ATM I made deposits to our health insurance, gym, and Netflix accounts. Upstairs I withdrew another 2,000,000 pesos (all 100s) from the Servibanca ATM which I used to pay for our apt rental.

Downstairs I had a latte in Urbania, now 10,100 pesos, while reading my new chess book The Iron English.

I left at 10:30 and returned to the apt by taxi.

Microsoft still says I’m out of storage 😊 and I’m still deleting photos.

Well, my Hotmail email still works.

I did it. I’m at the end with 0.2GB used of 100 GB. I’ll be much more careful in the future as to what I backup to my OneDrive.

The plan was to visit Jardin de Antioquia tomorrow but Teresa has second thoughts after I told her it’s a 3-hour trip by bus. (That doesn’t include the time for getting to Terminal Sur, buying tickets and waiting for the bus to leave.)

According to this partial Facebook post, there was an assassination of 2 women, one a journalist, in Envigado yesterday.

I don’t think this was related, but for some reason Teresa didn’t want me to go out for coffee today so I just hung around the apt.

I enjoyed watching Real Time with Bill Mayer on CNN from 7 to 8pm.  His guest was California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Tomorrow, if its not raining here, we’re planning on visiting Jericho (sp?).

Good luck to Jack W. who is planning on moving to Mexico in June. What part of Mexico?

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN

 

Friday, March 28, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, again at 5:15, finally waking/getting up just after 7am.

Microsoft Hotmail still says, “You’re out of storage. You can’t send email and won’t be able to receive in 1 day.”

I click on “Manage Storage” and it still says, “Total Used 30.3GB/5GB 606% used” but this time the “Free up space” button isn’t highlighted. ☹

If I click the bottom of the screen I get “0.9GB/15GB 6% Used” and then it shows the names of my email folders and says they are all Empty.

Now I can’t find/get to all the photos I was busy deleting yesterday. ☹

Now I see, there’s Microsoft Storage and there’s Email Storage.

I signed in to my Microsoft Account and it says my Microsoft Storage (OneDrive) used is only 0.9GB/5GB, 18% used, so what’s the problem?

Now I see “If your Microsoft 365 subscription has expired (it has), you’ll need to renew to get the same amount of storage again.”

And I see Microsoft 365 Basic is $1.99 a month which gives me OneDrive and Outlook (for $9.99 a month I get that plus Word, Excel, etc.)

Okay, I renewed MS 365 Basic for $1.99 a month.

I received this text message from my daughter yesterday, “Had a 16 week appt today! No ultrasound, sadly. But we heard her heartbeat and it sounded strong. In 1 month we will get a level 2 ultrasound which is really in depth and done at a hospital/not at our clinic.” So all is well!

Teresa returned at 8:15 from her gym class so now I’ll have breakfast then wait an hour before heading to the gym.

I completed my workout in Smartfit without incident.

I was having coffee in Ganso y Castor when Michael stopped by to ask me if I’ve every eaten at El Trifasico the nearby restaurant.  I told him “no” because I’m not sure if it was that restaurant or the one next to it and its been at least 6 years since we’ve eaten there.

I noticed the peanut I put in the tree is gone. I did see the squirrel return a couple minutes later to see if there might be another one.

I left at 10:30 and bought a bag of milk in Ara on my way back to the apt.

It started raining at 11:25 but lasted only a minute. 😊

Now, Microsoft says I’m using 0.9GB of 100GB (1%) so I guess I also bought myself more storage. And it’s allowing me to go to the same place I was yesterday so I can continue to delete photos.

I understand that 62,000 pesos is a Movistar package for both WiFi and television.

More rain in the afternoon.

I’ve got my storage down to 0.8 GB.

I just figured out how to make the photos smaller so I can delete 45 at a time.

I just saw Anna Cramling’s mother Tia, lots of photos of her, so I guess I’m in the C’s.

Then I saw Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlson, Robert Byrne.

When I go to empty the Recycle Bin part of the file address is ChessBase so they must have come from there somehow.

At 2:30 Teresa finally decided the rain was over and we could go visit her friend whose husband is in Clininca Las Americas. I got dressed and tried to order a Didi for their suggested price of 12mil. I’m guessing because of the rain cars are in short supply. I cancelled and upped the offer to 20mil and still waited. When I mentioned this to Teresa she thought that was too expensive and we’ll go another time so I cancelled the request.

The Nov 28, 2020 set of photos ended with Jacob Aargaard and now I’m in the Nov 20, 2020 set of photos.

Now I’m in photos of game positions.

My best guess is all this came from online ChessBase Magazine issues 195-198.

Well, now I’m at 0.7GB of 100GB.

I’m down to 0.5GB.

Some of the files are large .mp4 (video) files which take up more space.

I stopped at 5pm for the evening.

Tomorrow it’s time to visit the mall to pay the bills that are due the first of the month.

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up just before 6am.

Microsoft still says, “You’re out of storage. You can’t send email, and won’t be able to receive in 1 day.” We’ll see about that.

I’m continuing to remove all those photos of chess players.

Teresa’s happy because she finished another purse. I’ll share a photo after she gets the handle and the guts installed.

I met Marcos in Tostao at 9:30. We discussed politics, his upcoming trip to Madrid and our upcoming trip to Chicago. He told me he picked up a flyer about Movistar fiber optic internet and he gave me their contact information, Paula Chica, at 317 402 1436. I told him I would like to go to Badia in Mayorista next Thursday and he said he would go with me to buy fish.

He left just after 10am and I moved to Peccato where I had a latte while completing another 12 puzzles in The Woodpecker Method book.

I left at 11:15 and bought a couple things in Mercado Madrid on my way back to the apt.

We had some thunderstorms in the afternoon with a little rain.

I contacted Paola from Movistar and now she says they can install fiber optics wherever we want in our apt.

I’m down to 0.9 GB of 5 GB, 25%.

If these photos are alphabetical then I’m only on the K’s, because I just recognized Karpov and Kasparov.

I asked Paola about their 900Meg Wi-Fi and she said its 62,000 pesos. I asked about the cost of WiFi & television and her response was, “si”. 😊

Well, I just saw the Bobby Fischer photos so I guess it isn’t in alphabetical order.

I just saw Max Euwe so maybe it’s in reverse alphabetical order and maybe I’m approaching the end.

Since the US time change, I watch the Chris Hayes and half of the Rachel Maddow shows on MSNBC then at 8:30 I start my pre-sleep routine

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, finally waking/getting up at 6am. Did I sleep through the night or maybe I got up once and fell back asleep so quickly that I forgot it?

Last night just after 7pm we heard some neighborhood cheer. Since I saw a man wearing a Colombian jersey yesterday I’ll assume Colombia played and scored early. I googled the game and Colombia scored 1’ into the match but eventually tied with Paraguay 2-2.

My Google Flight search today returned the lowest price yet, $1002.

I left the apt at 7:30 and completed my workout in Smartfit. The attendance seemed to be back to normal and I didn’t see the “strange” people who have been here the past week so I guess the Jumbo location is open again. I did have a stab of pain on the first rep of my seated leg curl so I’ve got to be more careful on that first rep.

I moved to Ganso y Castor where I had a latte for about 90 minutes. I left at 10am and returned to the apt.

Well, I’ve gotten my OneDrive storage down from 606% used to 180% used so I’m making progress. Microsoft seems to make it as difficult as possible to prevent the easy deletion of the copied files.

Here’s an example of the Photos I’m finding in OneDrive

and once they are deleted, I have to empty the Recycle Bin.

As of lunchtime I’ve got my storage down to 24%.

At 3:20 a little rain with strong winds started. It didn’t amount to anything rain wise but there was quite the lightning storm. It settled down by 4pm so I headed on over to Eduardo Madrid bakery. I had a latte and when Teresa arrived at 5pm we each had a latte and shared a chicken sandwich. I picked up my 16 English muffins for 40,000 pesos ($10) and the entire check came to 83,685 pesos ($20.25).

I’ve gotten my MS OneDrive down to 1.1GB of 5 GB so I’m at 20%. They’d better not lock me out of my Hotmail account.

The book I finished last night was Never Go Back (Jack Reacher #18) so I corrected yesterday’s blog post.

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION

 

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 2:15, finally waking/getting up at 6am.

I left the apt a little early as I thought there might be more traffic after the holiday but I arrived at Unicentro 10-15 minutes early. Lots of others were also waiting to enter so I just took a seat on a low wall outside the front doors.

I entered at 8am and took a seat in Parmessano and Jose arrived a few minutes later after making a trip to an ATM.

I had French toast with a latte and he had an egg casserole with his usual Americano doble.

I brought him up-to-date on our Chicago trip, specifically the airline and rental car bookings.

We moved to the food court where I lost both games although I had good chances in the 2^nd game with the White pieces but once again his King slipped away.

We finished up at 1:15 which will get me home at a decent hour.

I got a Didi to take me to Viva Envigado. My driver spoke a little English having worked in New Jersey for 3 years but it was back in the 1980’s. He complemented me on my Spanish, probably the fact that I’m trying, even though I told him I didn’t understand a lot of what he was saying. 😊

In Viva Envigado I went into Pigasus and ordered their Pigasus Burger without the chicharones but it came with them anyway so I just scrapped them off.

The burger with fries were okay for 46,780 pesos ($11.50).

I went down to Urbania and had a latte for an hour or so while going through my cellphone and starting to read a new Chess Life magazine.

I left and returned to the apt by taxi.

My latest message from Microsoft Outlook, “You’re out of storage. You can’t send email, and won’t be able to receive in 1 day.”

I spent most of the evening deleting photos on Outlook. Most of them were of chess players or chess positions taken from a magazine. I have no idea where they came from or how they got saved to my OneDrive.

I watched the news about the latest White House fiasco on CNN and MSNBC.

I finished reading Never Go Back (Jack Reacher #18) on my Kindle.

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION