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Veterans Affairs: Benefits for Service-Connected Disabilities

Description: This report describes disability compensation, which is a benefit Congress provides to American veterans and their dependents through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Disability compensation is a monthly cash benefit program for veterans currently impaired from past service-connected activities.
Date: June 16, 2010
Creator: Weimer, Douglas R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Early Withdrawals and Required Minimum Distributions in Retirement Accounts: Issues for Congress

Description: In response to the economic downturn, Congress considered providing relief to Americans by suspending two tax penalties on defined contribution retirement plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). This report discusses the reasons offered in support of suspending these provisions, as well as the drawbacks. This report also presents data that estimates the number of households that these proposals would impact. Borrowing from retirement plans as an alternative to withdrawals is also discu… more
Date: January 7, 2011
Creator: Topoleski, John J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Credit for Military Service Under Civilian Federal Employee Retirement Systems

Description: Federal employees with permanent appointments earn pension benefits under one of two retirement plans. Employees hired after 1983 participate in the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Employees hired before 1984 participate in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) unless they elected to transfer to the FERS during open seasons held in 1987 and 1998. This report discusses the changes in legislation that allowed veterans who subsequently became civilian federal employees to count t… more
Date: December 30, 2010
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 151A and Annuities: Issues and Legislation

Description: This report explains the different types of annuities, the taxation of annuities, and disentangles the federal and state roles in the regulation of annuities. It outlines the SEC rule, including practical considerations for implementation. It also discusses congressional action in response to the SEC rule.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Webel, Baird & Miller, Rena S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Affairs: "Gray Area Retirees"-- Issues and Related Legislation

Description: The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a broad range of benefits and services to American veterans and to certain members of their families. In addition, the Department of Defense (DOD) offers a variety of benefits to veterans who are also military retirees. When members of the National Guard or the Reserve who have not yet reached age 60 retire (usually after at least 20 years of service), however, they are not entitled to certain federal benefits, including health care… more
Date: June 21, 2010
Creator: Weimer, Douglas R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Retirement: Background and Recent Developments

Description: This report discusses the nature of the military retirement system. The military retirement system is a non-contributory, defined benefit system that has historically been viewed as a significant incentive in retaining a career military force. The system currently includes monthly compensation and benefits after an active or reserve military career, disability retirement for those physically unfit to continue to serve, and survivor benefits for the eligible survivors of deceased retirees.
Date: July 27, 2010
Creator: Henning, Charles A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security: Cost-of-Living Adjustments

Description: To compensate for the effects of inflation, Social Security recipients usually receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Benefits will be increased by 1.7% in 2015, following an increase of 1.5% in 2014. This report discusses how the COLA is determined.
Date: October 29, 2014
Creator: Sidor, Gary
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Burial Benefits and National Cemeteries

Description: This report provides a descriptive analysis of both nonmonetary and monetary burial benefits and national cemeteries. This report addresses congressional and constituent issues such as who is eligible to receive burial benefits; who can be buried in a national cemetery; what plans does the Department of Veterans Affairs have to build new or expand existing national cemeteries; and what benefits does the VA provide, among others.
Date: August 30, 2010
Creator: Morman, Armaad R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Worker Participation in Employer-Sponsored Pensions: A Fact Sheet

Description: This fact sheet provides data on the percentage of American workers who have access to and who participate in employer-sponsored pension plans. The information is from the National Compensation Survey (NCS), which is conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The NCS provides data on occupational earnings and the availability of employee benefits among U.S. workers.
Date: February 2, 2015
Creator: Topoleski, John J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief

Description: This report provides basic information on congressional salaries and allowances and recent developments. First, the report briefly summarizes the current salary of Members of Congress; limits or prohibitions on their outside earned income, honoraria, and tax deductions; options for life and health insurance; and retirement benefits. Second, the report provides information on allowances available to Representatives and Senators to support them in their official and representational duties.
Date: December 30, 2014
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Pension Benefit Programs

Description: This report describes several pension benefit programs for veterans and their families, including the eligibility criteria and current benefit levels, and provides data on the number of pension beneficiaries and average annual benefit amounts for FY1999 through FY2013.
Date: February 13, 2015
Creator: Moulta-Ali, Umar & Davis, Carol D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: The Impact of Military Discharges on Basic Eligibility

Description: This report discusses the discharge or separation requirement for veteran status or, more specifically, how the VA assesses character of service to determine whether a former servicemember's separation from the military can be considered other than dishonorable.
Date: March 6, 2015
Creator: Moulta-Ali, Umar & Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): A Primer

Description: This report describes the primary features of two common retirement savings accounts that are available to individuals. Although the accounts have many features in common, they differ in some very important aspects. Both traditional and Roth IRAs offer tax incentives to encourage individuals to save for retirement.
Date: February 12, 2015
Creator: Topoleski, John J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Automatic Cost of Living Adjustments: Some Economic and Practical Considerations

Description: This report looks at how automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) influence the budget and identifies major programs that have indexing provisions. It also explains what price indexes attempt to measure and discusses some of their weaknesses. Finally, it points out some practical things to keep in mind when establishing an indexing provision.
Date: January 11, 2010
Creator: Cashell, Brian W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Retirement: Background and Recent Developments

Description: This report discusses the noncontributory military retirement system which includes monthly compensation and benefits after an active or reserve military career, disability retirement for those physically unfit to continue to serve, and survivor benefits for the eligible survivors of deceased retirees.
Date: April 30, 2015
Creator: Kamarck, Kristy N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Periods of War

Description: This report lists the beginning and ending dates for "periods of war" found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties.
Date: January 7, 2010
Creator: Salazar Torreon, Barbara
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits

Description: This report provides a legislative and cultural history of the Former Presidents Act. It details the pension and benefits provided to former U.S. presidents and their costs; Congress has the authority to reduce, increase, or maintain these benefits.
Date: May 27, 2015
Creator: Ginsberg, Wendy & Richardson, Daniel J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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