Tag Archives: social security

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Occupy America! East Idaho elderly threaten politicians if their earned Social Security benefits are cut

“Seniors aren’t just numbers.  They’re not line items in a budget, and they’re certainly not pushovers.  Idaho seniors are watching Congress today, and so are 50 million other Americans.  We’ve got news for them: They will hold them accountable on election day for their actions.”– David Irwin, Idaho AARP

“Healthcare costs keep soaring, right along with everything else.  I pay my Medicare premiums like everybody else.  Without this coverage I’d be deeply in debt.” Also, “So Crapo and Simpson have my message and received it today.  There will be a lot more messages like mine in the future, and I hope they pay attention.”-Gene Wiggers, east Idaho AARP volunteer

 

U.S.

9/11 victims missing from Social Security’s Death Master File

A new report from a New York City TV station shows that many people supposedly killed on September 11, 2001, are not listed on the Social Security Death Master File.

Also, a YouTube video shows that only 405 people, associated with 9/11, are listed on the File.

There are many reasons for the Death File not showing all those killed on 9/11: “For example, by law, we cannot make public the death reports we get from certain states. Another possibility is that the death was not reported to us because the person was not receiving benefits or there were no survivors’ benefits to be paid on the deceased’s Social Security record.”-Mark Hinkle, Social Security

Also, it’s been revealed that Social Security makes lots of mistakes.  One study showed that depending on where you lived, and then died, in the United States, could effect your listing.  Northeastern states have higher rates of errors with Death File listings, while western states have the lowest rate of errors.

Also, the Social Security tends to list many deaths as happening on the 15th of every month. Officials say it’s simply a default day, because many deaths reported to them do not indicate a day of death.

Don’t forget that the Death File still lists thousands of people in the United States, who are very much alive, as being dead.  Basically the Social Security Death Master File is not a good source of information if you’re doing any kind of research or study.  You might want to try the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) mortality registry.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Social Security lists 14,000 living people as dead, every year, can you check to see if your really dead?

The U.S. Social Security Administration has been listing as many as 14,000 people, who are alive, as being dead and cutting off payments.

Between 2007 and 2010, 36,657 living people were declared dead.  I wonder if that’s had any affect on consumer spending?

Living people who’re declared dead by the Social Security Administration not only lose benefits, but have to prove they’re still alive.  That can take months.  Until then you won’t be able to make any financial transactions with banks, etc.

Most people find out they’re dead when their checks start bouncing, then their Social Security payments don’t show up.

Some people discover that not only were they declared dead, but the Social Security Administration “lost” their file, forcing the “dead” person to literally start over with the SSA.

The “deaths ” are listed in a Death Master File.  Many genealogy web sites offer a Social Security Death Index search service, that lets you search a person’s history using their social security number.  Maybe you can search for yourself, if you show up you know you’re dead.