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Social Security benefits are the major source of income for most people over age 65, according to the Social Security Administration. That means living standards in later life can depend heavily on how well retired workers and spouses understand the program. Unfortunately, misunderstandings are all too common. A recent survey from Nationwide Retirement Institute found that 44% of adults were unaware that, upon the death of a spouse, the surviving spouse would inherit the bigger Social Security benefit. Social Security old-age and survivor benefits is a broad term that includes two subcategories: retired-worker benefits, and benefits for spouses and other...

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said that Social Security should be be made “secure” while increasing benefits in an interview broadcast on Tuesday’s “Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC.

Dear Carrie: Several of my friends and I (all in our early 60s) are understandably thinking about Social Security. Everyone seems to have different ideas -- and different information -- about when to apply for benefits, how to apply, and how much we can expect to get. Can you give us a straightforward answer on what we should know? -- A ReaderDear Reader: Since Social Security plays such a big part in people's lives, you'd think we'd have a better idea about how it all works. But on the contrary, a lot of folks don't fully understand their benefits or,...

Dear Mrs: Thank you for contacting me with your views on social security. I appreciate the time you took to share your opinions and apologize for the delay in responding to you. The Bush Administration is considering adding legal workers from Mexico to the United States social security system to ensure that people from one country and working in another are not taxed by both nations' social security systems. The United States has twenty existing similar pacts with other countries ranging from Canada to South Korea. Moreover, we have been negotiating social security "totalization" agreements with other governments since the...

Legislative Alerts and Updates • Current Legislation • Key Votes • Capitol Hill Basics Action Alert Stop The Great Global Social Security GiveawayTell Congress to Support the Social Security Preservation Act As Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) puts it, "dark clouds are gathering over our already dangerously fragile Social Security system." In December, the press reported on a looming deal between the United States and the government of Mexico which would make hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens eligible for U.S. Social Security benefits. The centerpiece of the agreement would be a so-called "totalization," which would mean that even if...