Congressional Research Service Reports - 8 Matching Results

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Social Security: Raising or Eliminating the Taxable Earnings Base

Description: This report discusses the Social Security taxes that are levied on covered earnings up to a maximum level set each year. In 2010, this maximum—or what is referred to as the taxable earnings base—is $106,800.
Date: September 24, 2010
Creator: Mulvey, Janemarie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)

Description: This report discusses the windfall elimination provision (WEP), which reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also have pension benefits from employment not covered by Social Security. Its purpose is to remove an advantage or “windfall” these workers would otherwise receive as a result of the interaction between the Social Security benefit formula and the workers’ relatively short careers in Social Security-covered employment. Opponents contend that the provision is basically impre… more
Date: January 29, 2010
Creator: Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security: Revisiting Benefits for Spouses and Survivors

Description: This report describes the current-law structure of auxiliary benefits for spouses, divorced spouses and surviving spouses. It also discusses some of the issues concerning the adequacy and equity of the current-law structure of auxiliary benefits, and presents some recent proposals.
Date: November 5, 2010
Creator: Shelton, Alison M. & Nuschler, Dawn
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Impact of Medicare Premiums on Social Security Beneficiaries

Description: This report focuses on how Medicare premiums affect Social Security beneficiaries. Medicare premiums are rising faster than Social Security benefits and are consequently consuming an increasing share of benefits over time.
Date: January 27, 2010
Creator: Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Retirement Earnings Test: How Earnings Affect Benefits

Description: Social Security benefits received before a person attains full retirement age (FRA) are subject to an actuarial reduction for early retirement and also may be reduced by the Social Security Retirement Earnings Test (RET) if the beneficiary has earnings that exceed an annual threshold. This report explains how the RET is applied under current law and provides detailed benefit examples to show how the RET affects both the worker beneficiary and any family members (auxiliary beneficiaries) who rec… more
Date: May 17, 2010
Creator: Nuschler, Dawn & Shelton, Alison M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Disability Benefits Available Under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Veterans Disability Compensation (VDC) Programs

Description: This report seeks to clarify why one group of individuals with disabilities may be eligible for benefits under Veteran's Disability Compensation (VDC), but ineligible for benefits under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) (and vice versa), through a description and comparison of several distinguishing characteristics of the SSDI and VDC programs. This report concludes with a discussion of the challenges facing the administration of both programs, including processing delays for pending … more
Date: June 17, 2010
Creator: Moulta-Ali, Umar
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Employees: Pay and Pension Increases Since 1969

Description: Under the terms of the Federal Employees' Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-509), pay for civilian federal employees is adjusted each year to keep the salaries of federal workers competitive with comparable occupations in the private sector. The annual increases in federal employee pay are based on changes in the cash compensation paid to workers in the private sector, as measured by the ECI. Under certain circumstances, the President may limit the annual increase in federal pay by execut… more
Date: January 20, 2010
Creator: Purcell, Patrick
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Employees: Pension COLAs and Pay Adjustments Since 1969

Description: Congress has linked adjustments in federal pay to the ECI so that wages for federal employees will remain competitive with wages paid by firms in the private sector. Under the terms of the Federal Employees' Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-509), pay for civilian federal employees is adjusted each year to keep the salaries of federal workers competitive with comparable occupations in the private sector. These annual adjustments in federal employee pay-which are distinct from any pay rais… more
Date: December 7, 2010
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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