The Social Security Administration says it is investigating the root cause of website outages that have affected the “my Social Security” portal where recipients access their benefits.

The Social Security Administration said Wednesday that people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income who are not able to use agency’s online portal, can complete their claim entirely over the phone instead of at an office.

The nominee to lead the Social Security Administration has faced tough questions at his confirmation hearing about efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency to shut down field offices and cut back on phone service.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing people’s private data at the Education Department, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management.

New requirements that Social Security recipients go online or in person to a field office to access key benefits, instead of just making a phone call, will pose challenges for many people.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from Social Security Administration systems that hold personally identifiable data on millions of Americans.

The John F. Kennedy assassination documents released this week disclosed sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers.

The Social Security Administration’s plan to require in-person identity checks for millions of new and existing recipients has drawn ire from lawmakers, advocacy groups and program recipients who are concerned that the government is placing barriers in front of people seeking to access their benefits.

Twenty-six Social Security Administration offices across the country are expected to close this year, due to actions taken by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

In an effort to limit fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration will impose tighter identity-proofing measures.

People across the political battleground of Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. say they're worried about cuts to Social Security.

A federal judge is considering whether to temporarily block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Social Security Administration systems that hold sensitive data on millions of Americans.

Elon Musk says Social Security and other federal benefit programs will be targeted in his hunt for fraudulent spending.

A group of labor unions are asking a federal court for an emergency order to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing the sensitive Social Security data of millions of Americans.

More than 3.2 million Social Security recipients who received pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public service jobs will see an immediate boost in their benefits.

The new head of the Social Security Administration says deceased centenarians are “not necessarily receiving benefits."

The Trump administration is falsely claiming tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving improper Social Security payments.

Many U.S. adults believe the federal government is overspending.

Planning is the key to make sure you don’t look back in anger

The Senate has passed legislation to boost Social Security payments for millions of people.

Nearly 3 million people could receive a boost in Social Security payments under legislation that's set for a final vote in the Senate.

The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people.

If you want to get yourself thoroughly depressed, spend a little time looking at statistics about Americans’ retirement preparedness.

The House has passed legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people.

The House is expected to try next week to pass a Social Security-related bill to ensure benefits for workers who are also eligible for other pensions.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a 2.5% increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments.

Millions of retirees who receive Social Security benefits will see a 2.5% cost-of-living increase to their monthly checks beginning in January.

Social Security recipients are expected to receive a smaller cost-of-living increase in January than in recent years as inflation moderates.

Donald Trump has pledged to end taxes on everything from tips to Social Security and overtime pay if he’s elected to the White House again.

A constitutional challenge to the Biden administration program enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs has been revived by a federal appeals court.

JD Vance repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates as he launched his political career with a bid for the U.S. Senate in Ohio.

The Senate will pursue a spending increase next year of about 3.4% for defense and 2.7% increase for non-defense programs under a bipartisan agreement reached by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

States have for decades been using foster children's federal Social Security benefits to help cover the costs of state services.

A bill to create a bipartisan commission that would tackle the nation’s soaring debt and make policy recommendations to Congress has won approval from a House committee.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a modest increase in benefits in January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments.

The acting Social Security commissioner says a 3_2% increase in benefits next year “will help millions of people keep up with expenses."

Social Security's cost-of-living increase for 2024 will be announced Thursday.

Even with new spending restraints included in the congressional debt limit deal, the U.S. government’s deficits are still on course to keep climbing to record levels over the next few decades.

Americans are deeply opposed to cutting into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and most support raising taxes on the nation’s highest earners to keep Medicare running as is.

An annual report on Social Security and Medicare says the financial safety nets millions of older Americans rely on and millions more young people are counting on will run short on funds to pay full benefits within the next decade.

In the federal budget standoff, the majority of U.S. adults are asking lawmakers to pull off the impossible: Cut the overall size of government, but also devote more money to the most popular and expensive programs.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling for “common sense and compassionate solutions” to reform entitlement programs and the nation’s debt burden.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is proposing changes to entitlement programs for younger generations, opening the door to potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare if elected.

It seems no one wants to cut Social Security or Medicare benefits.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended a plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats repeatedly seized on it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.

The Congressional Budget Office says it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year.

President Joe Biden is taking direct aim at Republicans who have floated cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

When President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security it brought howls of protests from the GOP side of the aisle during the State of the Union address.

A section of the new $1.7 trillion spending bill from Congress has been billed as a dramatic step toward shoring up retirement accounts of millions of workers.

Higher prices throughout much of 2022 have taken their financial toll on older adults in particular.

The news that 70 million people will see an 8.7% boost in their Social Security checks next year came just weeks before Election Day, but it's unlikely to give Democrats the edge they're desperately seeking at the polls.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a major increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment (or COLA) is added to Social Security payments.

Millions of Social Security recipients will get an 8.7% boost in their benefits in 2023.

It’s not just old people who will get what’s expected to be the largest cost-of-living adjustment in Social Security benefits in 40 years.

With a fixed income and higher prices these days, there is a risk of outliving your money.

For those getting ready to begin taking their Social Security benefits, it’s important to keep in mind just how much you can receive depending on what your age is.

We’re wrapping up our Medicare coverage this week by discussing the Medicare Donut Hole -- a cute name for something you probably won’t like.

We’re sharing some important dates to know about if you’re signing up for Medicare or changing your plan.

If you’re signing up for Medicare soon, it’s important to know how to pay for the things that the original Medicare plan does not pay for, like co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles.

If you’re signing up for Medicare soon, it’s important to know how to pay for the things that the original Medicare plan does not pay for, like co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles.

We’re taking a special look at to the elements of Medicare and what you need to know before signing up.

We’re taking a special look at to the elements of Medicare and what you need to know before signing up. In this segment, we’re covering Medicare Advantage -- a more expensive health care option.

For the next few weeks, we’re going to discuss the elements of Medicare and what you need to know before signing up.

For the next few weeks, we’re going to discuss the elements of Medicare and what you need to know before signing up.

A stronger-than-expected economic recovery from the pandemic has pushed back the go-broke dates for Social Security and Medicare, but officials warn that the current economic turbulence is putting additional pressures on the bedrock retirement programs.

For those of you who are signing up for Medicare this year, it's important to know that the sign-up process is complicated, especially this year.

Olivia and Liam are once again America’s most common baby names.

When it comes to planning for retirement, experts are saying that women should plan to save more money than men do.

The Social Security Administration has released the 2022 calendar that shows when to expect payments.

The head of a Senate panel that oversees Medicare says the Biden administration should cut back a hefty premium increase soon to hit millions of enrollees.

Starting next year (2022), you’ll get more money, a lot more, but it will be to cover rising costs. Here’s a closer look at what to expect.

Rising inflation is expected to lead to a sizeable increase in Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for the year 2022.

Rising inflation has triggered a jump in Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for 2022.

The sharp shock of the coronavirus recession pushed Social Security a year closer to insolvency but left Medicare’s exhaustion date unchanged, the government reported Tuesday.

If you’re planning to retire soon, there are some steps you should take before you file that paperwork.

The Social Security Administration released the annual list of the top baby names, and there aren’t many changes -- the popular names remain popular.

Even for those of us who think we have some knowledge about anything tax related, it can be a stressful time. And it's certainly not a time when you want to play a guessing game.

WASHINGTON – Social Security recipients will get a modest 1.3% cost-of living-increase in 2021, but that might be small comfort amid worries about the coronavirus and its consequences for older people. The economic fallout from the virus has reduced tax collections for Social Security and Medicare, likely worsening their long-term financial condition. The former vice president would raise Social Security taxes by applying the payroll tax to earnings above $400,000 a year. That amount generally increases, so at least some of any additional Social Security raise goes to health care premiums. That prompted Congress to pass recent election-year legislation that limits next year’s premium increase but gradually collects the full amount later on under a repayment mechanism.

The IRS has launched a “Get My Payment” website to help people track the status of their coronavirus stimulus payment. The “Get My Payment” website is aimed at helping you:Check your payment statusConfirm your payment type: direct deposit or checkEnter your bank account information for direct deposit if we don’t have your direct deposit information and we haven’t sent your payment yetIf you need to let the IRS know about your new address, go here. The IRS is expected to make about 60 million payments to Americans through direct deposit for people who used direct deposit on their 2018 or 2019 tax returns. This will include Social Security beneficiaries who filed federal tax returns that included direct deposit information. These payments will be made to Social Security beneficiaries who did not file tax returns in 2018 or 2019 and receive their Social Security benefits via direct deposit.

DETROIT – Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell released the expected timeline for direct stimulus payments made to Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic. The estimates are that nearly 99 percent of Social Security beneficiaries who do not file a return receive their benefits through direct deposit. The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account reflected on the return filed. People who typically do not file a tax return will need to file a simple tax return to receive an economic impact payment. How long are the economic impact payments available?

That's different from the "social insurance" or shared responsibility approach taken by Democratic presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Lyndon Baines Johnson. The Warren campaign says the reason programs like Social Security and Medicare are popular is that benefits are broadly shared. Truman's plan for universal health insurance did not pass, but it would have been supported by payroll taxes. "If you look at the two core social insurance programs in the United States, they have always been financed as a partnership," said William Arnone, CEO of the National Academy of Social Insurance, a nonpartisan organization that educates on how social insurance builds economic security. Under Warren's plan, nearly $9 trillion would come from businesses, in lieu of what they're already paying for employees' health care.

The findings of this Social Security study were unsettling, to say the least. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Americans have forfeited at least $450 million this way to government impostor scams since 2014, the FTC said and that only counts the victims regulators know about. Government impostors became the number one source of FTC complaints and now account for the lion's share of impostor scams overall. "Toward the fall, we started to see these scams really, really pick up." Thousands of consumers who reported the scam this year told the FTC they lost money. Last week, the FTC, Justice Department, and various states and local authorities brought nearly 100 cases against alleged robocallers.