Congressional Research Service Reports - 177 Matching Results

Search Results

prev Results: 41 - 64 next
open access

Social Security: The Cost-of-Living Adjustment in January 2003

Description: This report discusses the Cost-of-living Adjustments to Social Security in 2003. To compensate for the effects of inflation, Social Security recipients receive a cos-of-living adjustment (COLA) in January of each year. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), updates monthly by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is the measure used to compute the change.
Date: October 18, 2002
Creator: Koitz, David & Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security and the Federal Budget: What Does Social Security's Being "Off Budget" Mean?

Description: This report discusses social security and its place in the federal budget. As a result of a series of laws enacted in 1983, 1985 and 1990, Social Security is considered to be "off budget" for federal budget purposes. While the meaning of this might seem obvious--that Social Security is not to be considered as part of the federal budget--many people are confused by the continued use of aggregate budget figures that include Social Security's receipts and expenditures.
Date: July 20, 2000
Creator: Koitz, David S.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Reform: Bills in the 106th Congress

Description: The Social Security system is projected to have long-range funding problems. Although the system’s income currently exceeds its expenditures, its trust funds are projected to be depleted in 2037. Concern about the problem and a belief that the remedy lies partly in economic growth that could be bolstered by changes to the system have led to introduction of a number of bills incorporating varying degrees of reform. This report describes the funding problem in some detail, summarizes many of the … more
Date: April 11, 2000
Creator: Koitz, David S.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Reform: How Much of a Role Could Personal Retirement Accounts Play?

Description: This report illustrates the potential accumulations of personal savings accounts intended for retirement savings, given a range of possible contribution amounts and interest rates. It is intended to provide information about how to evaluate the possible role of personal accounts in the debate on Social Security reform.
Date: June 9, 2000
Creator: Koitz, David S.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security's Treatment Under the Federal Budget: A Summary

Description: This report discusses the treatment of Social Security in the federal budget, which has become a major fiscal policy issue. Congressional views about what to do with budget surpluses are diverse—ranging from buying down the outstanding federal debt to cutting taxes to increasing spending. However, support for the proposition of “protecting” Social Security surpluses is substantial.
Date: September 21, 2000
Creator: Koitz, David S. & Nuschler, Dawn
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Taxes: Where Do Surplus Taxes Go and How Are They Used?

Description: The costs of the Social Security program, both its benefits and administrative expenses, are financed by a tax on wages and self-employment income. Commonly referred to as FICA and SECA taxes (because they are levied under the Federal Insurance and Self-Employment Contributions Acts), these taxes flow each day into thousands of depository accounts maintained by the government with financial institutions across the country. Along with many other forms of revenues, these Social Security taxes bec… more
Date: April 29, 1998
Creator: Koitz, David Stuart
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security: What Happens to Future Benefit Levels Under Various Reform Options

Description: The report first examines several benefit-constraint options. Among them are raising the age at which full Social Security retirement benefits can be received, changing the way initial benefits are computed, and constraining cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). It also illustrates the effects of creating new personal savings accounts and presents their projected impact as a supplement to, or partial replacement of, the existing system, or as a means to close the gap between the benefit levels pr… more
Date: August 20, 2001
Creator: Koitz, David; Kollmann, Geoffrey & Nuschler, Dawn
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security: A Discussion of Some Issues Affecting the Early Retirement Age

Description: This report examines certain technical aspects of the issues surrounding the earliest age of retirement, not only in terms of its treatment under reform proposals, but also in terms of its effect under today's law. It includes background and history of the topic as well as issues related to financing, equity, and incentive effects.
Date: May 15, 2000
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security: Brief Facts and Statistics

Description: This report provides brief facts and statistics about Social Security that are frequently requested by Members of Congress and their staffs. It includes information about Social Security taxes and benefits, the program's impact on recipients' incomes, federal tax receipts, federal spending and the economy, administrative information, and selected facts about Medicare.
Date: March 20, 2003
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Notch Issue: A Summary

Description: This report discusses recent attempts at legislative action regarding changes to the computation of benefits under Social Security Amendments of 1977 (P.L. 95-216), which directly affected retirees born in the 5- to 15-year period after 1916. These persons fall in the "notch" between previous Social Security legislation and those affected by the amendments.
Date: August 5, 2003
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Notch Issue: A Summary

Description: This report discusses recent attempts at legislative action regarding changes to the computation of benefits under Social Security Amendments of 1977 (P.L. 95-216), which directly affected retirees born in the 5- to 15-year period after 1916. These persons fall in the "notch" between previous Social Security legislation and those affected by the amendments.
Date: March 6, 2003
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security: Raising the Retirement Age Background and Issues

Description: The Social Security “full retirement age” — the age at which retired workers, aged spouses, or surviving aged spouses receive benefits that are not reduced for “early” retirement — will gradually rise from 65 to 67 beginning with people who attain age 62 in 2000 (i.e., those born in 1938). Early retirement benefits will still be available beginning at age 62 (age 60 for aged widows and widowers), but at lower levels. This report discusses bills introduced in the last four Congresses that would,… more
Date: June 7, 2000
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security: The Government Pension Offset

Description: This report discusses the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision, which reduces Social Security benefits that a person receives as a spouse if he or she also has a government pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security. Its purpose is to replicate Social Security’s “dual entitlement” rule, which requires that a Social Security benefit earned as a worker be subtracted from any Social Security spousal benefit to which the worker is eligible. Its intent is to remove an advant… more
Date: February 13, 2003
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Reform

Description: This report provides background and analysis on social security reform. The report discusses the most recent development, the basis for the debate, specific areas of contention and reform initiatives.
Date: December 3, 2003
Creator: Kollmann, Geoffrey & Nuschler, Dawn
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Reform: Legal Analysis of Social Security Benefit Entitlement Issues

Description: This report addresses selected legal issues that may be raised regarding entitlement to Social Security benefits as Congress considers possible changes to the Social Security program in view of projected long-range shortfalls in the Social Security Trust Funds.
Date: September 17, 2014
Creator: Lanza, Emily M. & Nicola, Thomas J.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security and Same-Sex Marriage: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report addresses a number of frequently asked questions regarding the eligibility of same-sex couples for Social Security benefits and the interpretation of state marriage laws. These questions include those relating to general eligibility and the application process for same-sex couples and those in other types of legal relationships.
Date: March 20, 2015
Creator: Lanza, Emily M.; Nuschler, Dawn & Morton, William R.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Social Security Retirement Age

Description: This report discusses the two important ages that may affect a worker's plans to claim Social Security retired-worker benefits. Workers may claim full Social Security benefits at the full retirement age (FRA), which is rising gradually to age 67 for workers who were born in 1960 or later. Retired workers may claim benefits as early as age 62, which is known as the early eligibility age (EEA). Social Security benefits are reduced, however, for every month that retired worker benefits are claimed… more
Date: October 28, 2016
Creator: Liou, Wayne
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Taxation of Aliens Working in the United States

Description: This report outlines issues regarding the taxation of aliens since several pieces of current legislation have been introduced that would impose restrictions for claiming child tax credits or for claiming credits and refunds. The report includes an overview of immigration status, resident or nonresident aliens, taxation of income for various classifications, and Social Security and medicare taxes.
Date: May 18, 2012
Creator: Lunder, Erika K.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

State Unemployment Taxes and SUTA Dumping

Description: This report provides a summary of the State Unemployment Tax Acts (SUTA) Dumping Prevention Act of 2004, P.L. 108-295. The term "SUTA dumping" refers to a variety of tax planning strategies used by employers to minimize the tax burden of federally mandated state unemployment taxes.
Date: May 27, 2005
Creator: Maguire, Steven & Whittaker, Julie M.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

How Social Security Benefits Are Computed: In Brief

Description: This report discusses how Social Security benefits are currently computed, including information about eligibility, earnings, cost-of-living adjustments, factors that can affect benefit levels, and benefits for dependents.
Date: May 12, 2014
Creator: Meyerson, Noah P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen