Tag Archives: Cesar Chavez

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We have an obligation

01/14/2015 Nativegrl77

The new Congress was sworn in just two days ago, and we already have a good indication of what to expect from the new batch of Tea Party Representatives and Senators.

Los Angeles Times: “As Republicans take control Tuesday of both chambers of Congress for the first time in eight years, party leaders hope to move quickly to confront President Obama and showcase their conservative ideology, including austere budget cuts and dismantling government regulation.”

New York Times: “On immigration, House Republican officials say they expect to approve a Department of Homeland Security spending measure before the end of January that would deny money to carry out Mr. Obama’s action to ease the threat of deportation for millions of undocumented immigrants.”

These priorities are not America’s priorities.

As veterans, military family members, and their supporters, we have a crucial voice on these issues, and an obligation to make it heard. Let us know what you hope the 114th Congress will work on.

Thanks for sounding off.

All the best,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman
VoteVets.org

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Weekly Address: Make 2015 the Year for Quality, Affordable Health Insurance

01/13/2015 Nativegrl77

In this week’s address, the Vice President wished Americans a Happy New Year, and asked that as we make resolutions to get healthier in 2015, we take the time to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Millions of people have already signed up for quality, affordable health care under the law, and there is still time to secure the peace of mind that comes with getting covered.

From now until February 15, you can sign up by logging on to HealthCare.gov; by speaking to someone on the phone through the 24/7 call center at 1-800-318-2596, where you can get assistance in 150 languages; or by going in person to an enrollment event in your community.

Watch the Vice President’s Weekly Address here.

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West Wing Week: “That Zingy Sting”

At the end of each “West Wing Week” episode, the White House videographers insert a funny snippet of content — which they call a “sting.” To ring in 2015, they put together an entertaining compilation of stings, for those of you who might not have made it to the very end of each episode last year.

Applications are now being accepted for the Summer 2015 White House Internship Program. Deepankar Gagneja, a former intern who worked in the Office of Management and Administration in the fall of 2014, recently wrote about his own internship experience.

To recap our last year on Tumblr, we tallied up the number of notes — the Tumblr equivalent of “likes” — on each of the GIFs we created in 2014. Here, in order, are the top 10 GIF moments on our Tumblr in 2014, decided by Tumblr users themselves.

How some seniors are losing 15% of their Social Security

01/03/2015 Nativegrl77

We all know student debt is out of control. What you may not know is just how bad it’s gotten:

The government is garnishing senior citizens’ Social Security checks to claw back education loans they co-signed for their children or grandchildren. Seniors are losing up to 15% of their earned benefits each month.

There are no exceptions. Neither the borrower nor the co-signer can have student debt absolved in bankruptcy court.

Campaign for America’s Future is in this fight and we want you to join us. This is no longer an issue simply for young people. There is over a trillion dollars in outstanding student debt.

We’re joining the fight with Senator Elizabeth Warren to allow all student loans to be refinanced at today’s lower rates.

Can you support our campaign to fix our broken student loan system with a donation?

We’ll be reaching out to lawmakers and the media, and keeping the pressure on.

But that’s only a first step. Social Security checks should be off limits. Steps must be taken to control costs, especially at online and for-profit colleges.

When a young person opens his or her college acceptance letter, it should be a moment of joy and celebration, not anxiety.

Can you help with a donation to our fight to reform this broken system?

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Social Security Admin

01/03/2015 Nativegrl77

The Social Security Administration has lost its mind.

They’re about to close dozens of field offices. But don’t worry, they say. Seniors will use their smartphones or laptops if they need help.

The SSA may think they’ve got a great money saving idea, but this could be disaster for seniors with vision problems or arthritis, or those who can’t afford a computer.

Social Security is a great system, but it’s often complex. While many seniors are expert computer users, others will struggle.

Our parents and grandparents deserve to have a human face to guide them. They’ve done too much for us to be abandoned now.

Please sign our petition demanding the the Senate pass S.2742, which would require any future office closures to go through a public review period to ensure that local communities can stand up for their field offices.

It’s the least we can do.

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Figuring the tax bill on Social Security benefits

01/03/2015 Nativegrl77

By Kimberly Lankford December 9, 2014 1:39 PM

Will my Social Security benefits be taxable?

It depends on your income. The taxation of Social Security benefits is based on your “combined income,” which is your adjusted gross income (the bottom of page 1 of your Form 1040) plus tax-exempt interest and 50% of your Social Security benefits.

Your benefits are tax-free if your combined income is less than $25,000 if you are single or $32,000 if you file a joint return. Above that level, up to half of your benefits are taxable if your combined income is up to $34,000 on a single return or $44,000 on a joint return. And as much as 85% of your Social Security benefits are taxable if your combined income is more than $34,000 on a single return or $44,000 on a joint return. See Income Taxes and Your Social Security Benefits for details.

Be careful about moves you make that could boost your income and increase your Social Security taxes, such as converting a traditional IRA to a Roth after you start receiving Social Security benefits. Instead of making a big conversion in one year, you may want to spread out your conversions over several years if that helps you stay below the cutoff for paying taxes on your benefits. Also, reducing the amount of money subject to required minimum distributions after you turn 70½ can help you stay below the income cutoff for paying taxes on Social Security benefits. For example, Roths aren’t subject to RMDs, so the more money you convert from traditional IRAs to Roths through the years, the less money that will be subject to required minimum distributions.

For more information about Social Security, see Best Strategies to Boost Your Social Security Benefits.