In 1935, President Roosevelt signed a law to put Social Security into effect. The first Social Security check was received in January 1937. Upon death of a spouse, the surviving spouse continued to receive both Social Security income checks. Each working spouse also received a burial stipend of $255.
Then President Carter signed into law the notch years — 1917-1923 — World War II vets, spouses and the Depression “kids” fell into this category, which created a $100 a month cut from each Social Security check and is still in effect.
The IRS added a marriage tax of $2,000 per year to tax forms. This begins again in 2012. I have no date when Social Security was changed to deny spouses the right to receive both checks when one dies. Spouses have also lost their Social Security burial fund of $255.
Losses to my husband and myself have amounted to $214,159, not including the loss of cost-of-living income each year. As a widow, my Social Security loss is $92,304; marriage tax, $70,000; “notch” loss, $51,600; burial loss, $255.
I am only one person. Please take a little time, folks, to check your losses. One in four seniors are keeping family members with no help.
The federal government owes Social Security over $3 trillion that has been used for our never-ending wars.
God help our young people if Social Security is privatized. Retirement holding companies do not give cost-of-living increases to keep seniors in their homes. (Holding companies send retirement investments overseas.)
I don’t believe Social Security is on the brink of failure. Thousands who paid into the system will never draw a dime. Three times, while I was working, my Social Security input was increased.
The trick is to keep Congress out of using the funds. The feds are supposed to protect us, not steal our income.
Mrs. C. Nave
Cumberland
Letters
Social Security is not failing; keep it in its present form
- Letters
-
-
Maryland has stopped being “The Free State”
I am a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and, last but not least, the National Rifle Association. I am a yearly member of the American Legion.
-
Save the Bridge Program
Please do not close the Frostburg United Methodist Church Bridge Program. The community and many families need this program. Let me enlighten you about a few things.
-
Town of Westernport needs a police force and a curfew
Since the consolidation of Bruce and Valley high schools the town of Westernport rapidly deteriorated from what was once a quite respectable community to a community in a decline in residents, and along with that came a collapse in local government due to lack of knowledge and bad decisions that set the town of Westernport back 60 years.
One bad decision was to give up their police force, and with no constant visual law enforcement it has created an open range for drug dealerss, addicts, thieves, drunks and speeding vehicles that choose to ignore our city laws and speed limits and have totally disregard for the safety of the citizens who are on the streets, especially the children who are like deer, you don’t see them until their in front of you. -
Financial gutting will damage school system
I am writing in response to the Allegany County Commissioners’ efforts to cut local education spending to the lowest possible level allowed under state law.
-
Cemetery organization plans events to mark Memorial Day
This upcoming Memorial Day marks the 30th anniversary of the Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization (CHCO).
-
Outside water customers pay for town’s mistakes
The following is the opinion of the individual and in no manner reflects the opinion of any other person or organization.
-
We’re twisting the meaning of the Founding Fathers’ words
I really had to chuckle when I read a recent comment someone made in a northeastern publication: “I’d like to suggest that Congress make a tiny change in our Second Amendment that would more accurately reflect the Founding Father’s intent (to wit): “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear muskets, shall not be infringed.”
-
Their health benefits proved to be better than they expected
ObamaCare! Of all the terms the GOP uses as scare tactics, that one is my favorite.
-
It’s time to ratify Equal Rights Amendment
I have three words I want to say: “It is time.”
By those three words, I am referring to passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). -
Preserve these things for future generations
This is an open letter to the mayor of Cumberland and Allegany County commissioners:
- More Letters Headlines
-
Maryland has stopped being “The Free State”
