We realize it may be a stretch for ordinary people to want to keep up with the comings and goings of the Social Security Administration, but sometimes circumstances permit where someone does want to follow the latest news regarding the agency due to a possible retirement or disability interest. This blog is an ongoing piecemeal of recent stories that have involved Social Security. Some are tidbits and some are important things that should be known in the world of retirement or disability and others are just interesting stories and nothing more.
Workshop on Social Security and COVID-19 March 21-22
There have been some discussions on how COVID-19 impacts some people where they develop long-term symptoms and impairments, which can make it difficult to maintain fulltime employment. If a person is unable to maintain gainful employment due to lasting effects of COVID-19 they could be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Because COVID-19 is such a new virus it is difficult to understand the long-term impacts some people suffer from, but a Social Security workshop on the subject, scheduled for March 21 and 22, will analyze how long-term impacts might effect a person’s ability to work. Below is the announcement for the upcoming workshop.
A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will hold a public workshop to explore the long-term and potentially disabling health effects stemming from COVID-19 infection and how they might impact survivors’ ability to work.
This two-day virtual workshop, sponsored by the U.S. Social Security Administration, will bring together invited experts to discuss a range of topic areas including:
- Overview of long COVID, characteristics of the population affected, and research initiatives underway
- Postacute sequelae of SARS-COV-2 infection and implications for recovery
- Experiences of long COVID patients and their caregivers
- Long-term impairments from COVID-19 and effects on work-related functioning
- Best practices to improve recovery and potential future advancements in knowledge
Update on Social Security Benefits and Student Loans
Last week it was announced that the U.S. Department of Education has suspended the seizure of tax refunds and Social Security payments to satisfy students who have defaulted on their student loans until November of 2022.
A recent story from CNBC reported that close to 9 million people have defaulted on their student loans, which means they have fallen at least 270 days behind on payments. The suspension of seizing these benefits was developed to provide some relief due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reprieve was supposed to end May 1, 2022, but now will be extended to November. The following information was found on the Department of Education website in response to the change.
“This policy means you won’t lose money from certain government payments, such as the child tax credit, Social Security payments, and tax refunds for the 2022 tax season.”
Millions of people in the country are unable to pay student loans and the question will be is the Department of Education looking at more permanent fixes to a policy that has seen so many people default on student loans?
