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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: January 14, 2011
Creator: Nuschler, Dawn & Shelton, Alison M.
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 18, 2011
Creator: Shelton, Alison M.
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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Veterans' Benefits: Pension Benefit Programs

Description: This report describes pension benefit programs offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including the eligibility criteria and current benefit levels, and provides data on the number of pension beneficiaries in FY2010. The most current pension programs available (for those meeting the eligibility criteria on or after January 1, 1979) are the Improved Disability Pension for certain low-income veterans, the Improved Death Pension for certain low-income surviving spouses or children of… more
Date: December 13, 2011
Creator: Scott, Christine & Davis, Carol D.
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. It 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 VA have to build new or expand existing national cemeteries; and what benefits does the VA provide, among others.
Date: June 1, 2011
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Employees' Retirement System: Benefits and Financing

Description: Most civilian federal employees who were hired before 1984 are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, and contribute 7.0% of their pay to a retirement fund. Federal employees hired in 1984 or later are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System and contribute 0.8% of their pay to a retirement fund. Both require participants to contribute toward the cost of their pensions through a payroll tax. The taxable wage base is $106,800 in 2011. This report discusses both retirement fun… more
Date: January 5, 2011
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Affairs: A Preliminary Analysis of the FY2012 Appropriations Request

Description: This report provides a preliminary analysis of the President's budget request for FY2012 for the programs administered by the VA. This report is not an exhaustive discussion of VA's budget request for FY2012. A full CRS report on FY2012 VA budget and appropriations issues is planned after initial congressional consideration of appropriations legislation.
Date: March 15, 2011
Creator: Scott, Christine & Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Pension Benefit Programs

Description: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers several pension benefit programs for veterans as well as their surviving spouses and dependent children. The most current pension programs available (for those meeting the eligibility criteria on or after January 1, 1979) are the Improved Disability Pension for certain low-income veterans and the Improved Death Pension for certain low-income surviving spouses or children of veterans. There is also a special pension for Medal of Honor recipient… more
Date: January 4, 2011
Creator: Scott, Christine & Davis, Carol D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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