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Social Security: The Windfall Benefit Provision

Description: This report discusses the windfall elimination provision, 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 these workers would otherwise receive because of Social Security's benefit formula that favors workers with smaller amounts of Social Security-covered career earnings. Opponents contend that the provision is basically inaccurate and often unfair. In both the 107th and 1… more
Date: January 9, 2004
Creator: Haltzel, Laura
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security and Medicare Taxes and Premiums: Fact Sheet

Description: Financing for social security -- Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance -- and the Hospital Insurance part of Medicare is provided primarily by taxes levied on wages and net self-employment income. Financing for the Supplementary Medical Insurance portion of Medicare is provided by premiums from enrollees and payments from the government. This report describes these taxes and premiums.
Date: January 13, 2004
Creator: Nuschler, Dawn
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security: Raising or Eliminating the Taxable Earnings Base

Description: Social Security taxes are levied on earnings up to a maximum level set each year. In 2004, this maximum — or what is referred to as the taxable earnings base — is $87,900. There is no similar base for the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) portion of the tax; all earnings are taxable for HI purposes. Elimination of the HI base was proposed by President Clinton and enacted in 1993, effectively beginning in 1994. Recently others have proposed that the base for Social Security be raised or eliminate… more
Date: January 20, 2004
Creator: Haltzel, Laura
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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