SSA News 
Top News
- IRS to pay $70M in bonuses, Grassley says
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- BRAC-like commission proposed to hunt down government cost savings
- Sequestration claims another conference: DHS's GFirst cyber event
- Postal Service closing Capitol Hill post offices in 'symbolic' move
- Senators seek cost cuts for F-35 fighter jet
- Fed pens new furlough song
- Web guru Dorris brings new life to government websites
- EPA CIO Jackson returning to private sector
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
Partnership honors SSA's own 'Steve Jobs'
The Partnership for Public Service named Dave Broomell, the project manager at the Social Security Administration's Chicago Region office, a 2013 Service to America Medal finalist in the Citizen Services category. The award recognizes feds who have made significant contributions in the area of citizen services.
Social Security and Medicare trustees report due
Trustees for Social Security and Medicare will release their annual report Friday on the state of finances for the government's two biggest benefit programs.
Do Not Pay list lacks data as implementation nears
Senate lawmakers are promising to change the laws to let agencies have easier access to the Death Master File and other key databases. Starting June 1, agencies must check the Do Not Pay list before issuing any money.
Why actuaries are important to your agency's financial success
Stephen Goss, chief actuary at the Social Security Administration, explains what an actuary actually does and how they can help agencies save money. This interview is part of Federal News Radio's special report, Rise of the Money People.
Agencies suffering reductions in services even before furloughs occur
Employees at TSA, CBP and Bureau of Prisons will no longer be able to work overtime. SSA offers its employees a new round of early retirements to deal with budget shortfalls. AFGE continues to press Congress, White House to stop sequestration.
SSA, IRS take different paths on sequestration furloughs
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration — two of the largest federal agencies with very public missions — are taking divergent paths when it comes to dealing with the automatic, across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration. IRS says it is planning for five to seven furloughs days, while SSA says it hopes to forego furloughs through alternative savings.
Social Security head: Program fraying from neglect
AP Interview: Outgoing Social Security commissioner says benefit cuts, tax hikes inevitable
Employee unions march on Capitol Hill to stop sequestration
AFGE, AFSCME rally against the potential cuts from sequestration as part of their week-long legislative conference. Union members are meeting with lawmakers to ensure they understand the broader impact cuts due to sequestration would have on the nation and the economy.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Feb. 8, 2013
Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue and Linda Cureton of NASA talks about their upcoming retirements. Register employee benefit consultant Ed Zurndorfer explains what feds can expect from possible furloughs. White House Historical Association Vice President of Research talks about possible renovations at the White House.
Social Security and retirement
Lester Austin, public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration, takes your calls and email questions.
January 28, 2013
Fed agency retracts reprimand to flatulent worker
A federal government agency did more than wrinkle its nose at an employee's flatulence problem, issuing an official reprimand after months of malodors. But the agency said Friday that it has since retracted the rebuke.
Financial planning and a view from the 'cliff'
Certified Financial Planner Joseph Sullender on how to best prepare for your retirement.
December 17, 2012(Encore presentation December 24, 2012)
Man charged in Arizona Social Security explosion
A man charged with detonating a homemade explosive device outside a Social Security Administration office in Arizona had researched how to construct a particular explosive that authorities say has been used in terrorist bomb plots, according to a criminal complaint.
Customer satisfaction with e-government down slightly but near record highs
Satisfaction with federal e-government sites remained high throughout most of 2012, according to a quarterly report from ForeSee and the American Customer Satisfaction Index. On a 100-point scale, customer satisfaction with federal websites now sits at 75.3. That's actually down slightly from last quarter, which had set an all-time high, according to the latest report.
Social Security benefits get a 1.7 percent bump
More than 56 million Americans on Social Security will get raises averaging $19 a month come January, one of the smallest hikes since automatic adjustments for inflation were adopted in 1975, the government announced Tuesday.
SSA to close offices earlier to cut overtime
The Social Security Administration will begin closing its offices around the country 30 minutes early starting Nov. 19. A spokeswoman said "significantly less funding" than the agency requested forced it to adopt this tactic.
Report: Social Security lax on disability claims
Social Security is so overwhelmed by disability claims that some officials are awarding benefits without adequately reviewing applications, potentially adding to the program's financial problems as it edges closer to the brink of insolvency, congressional investigators say in a new report.
Disability and disability benefits
Lester Austin, public affairs specialist at the
Social Security Administration, explains the
disability application process and answer your
questions about benefits.
September 10, 2012
OMB touts $4B in efficiency savings
Acting Director Jeff Zients wrote in a blog post today that agencies have met half of President Obama's goal to save $8 billion by the end of 2013.
Why does Social Security need 174,000 bullets?
It didn't take long for the Internet to start buzzing with conspiracy theories after the Social Security Administration posted a notice that it was purchasing 174,000 hollow-point bullets.
