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Social Security Sanctions Self-Selecting Sex for SSN Records

Dec 12, 2022

Not a title for those with a lisp, but the SSA recently announced a policy change that will allow anyone to self-select their sex designation no matter what the records on their birth certificate may show. There's no need to provide any documentation at all but if...

Worth Remembering: SSA Resources and Benefits for Veterans

Nov 11, 2022

Armistice Day commemorates the ending of the First World War on November 11, 1918 and although the US were hardly involved in that conflict it is observed in this country each year in on that date. Here it's known, of course, as Veterans Day and has come to...

Change of Plan: Transferring State Benefits When You Move

Oct 28, 2022

Well, you can't. There is actually no provision for a simple transfer of any state-regulated benefit such as SNAP (aka Food Stamps) or Medical Assistance. Each state has their own eligibility rules and regulations so if you should up sticks and move to another state,...

An Extra Serving: Maryland Food Bank and CSFP Helping Seniors in Baltimore

Oct 25, 2022

The Commodity Supplement Food Program (CSFP) is a federally run program that helps low-income seniors around the country by providing them with monthly food packages. In Maryland the program is known as “My Groceries to Go!” and is administered by the Maryland Food...

SSA’s 2023 COLAs Announced!

Oct 14, 2022

The new figures are in for 2023's Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), and as many had predicted there has been another significant leap. The new COLA dwarfs even last year's notable 5.9% and comes in at a staggering 8.7% increase. In terms of how that looks to SSI...

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SNAP Tackles Pop: States Ban Food Stamp Purchases of Soda and Candy

There have always been restrictions on what you can buy with food stamps, now dubbed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (a godsend to sub-editors everywhere). The simple, if perhaps occasionally dubious, pleasures that alcoholic beverages provide...

2026’s 1619(b) Thresholds Are Out!

Unlike many annual changes in the benefits world, which are announced on a fairly rigid schedule, recent history has shown that we can never quite be sure when the new thresholds for 1619(b) are going to be announced. Fortunately, this year there hasn’t been much of a...

Health Check: Changes to Medicaid in Maryland

The new year is an obvious time to make changes if that’s what you’re going to do and it might seem that if things are going to be different for Medicaid beneficiaries now would be the time to learn what’s new. Oddly enough, even though there are changes afoot,...

What’s New? Update on 2026 Benefits Changes

Now that we have to admit that the holidays are truly over and we're embedded in the new year, for better or for worse, it's worth having a quick look over the new annual figures that will affect those of us who receive federal benefits. By now everyone who receives...

Happy Holidays from MDBCN to You!

Another year comes to another close and although we can hardly look back on 12 months of love, peace, and harmony we can always hope for that in the future. Whatever may come to pass, we at the Maryland Benefits Counseling Network will continue to endeavor to keep you...

Getting Better: ABLE Changes for 2026

Back in 2022 Congress passed a bill that is about to go into effect. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act decreed that as of January 2026 the age threshold for Achieving Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts would increase from 26 to 46. The ABLE Act has been around for more...

A Bitter Pill: Medicare Costs in 2026

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the 2026 premium and deductible figures. It’s a familiar story, as those costs are up again. The standard Medicare Part B premium will raise eyebrows and blood pressure as it increases by $17.90 a...

From the Horse’s Mouth: SSA Commissioner Delivers 2025 Fiscal Report

Gues what? It’s all good. On November 20 Frank Bisignano, Social Security’s Commissioner, published his letter to Congress detailing the agency’s achievements in 2025. The letter, which you can read in full here (Commissioner Letter to Congress: Year in Review) begins...

SNAP’s Back: Federal Food Stamp Payments to Resume

After the longest shutdown in its 249-year history the US government officially re-opened on Wednesday when its president signed a bill allowing funding until January 30 next year. While this would certainly appear to be only a temporary easing of the situation it...

Forking Out: SNAP Updates and Maryland’s Response

It is now widely known that it is forty-two million Americans who receive SNAP benefits, still also known as food stamps. They remain at the mercy of a government, which has remained shut down for thirty-seven days at the time of writing, and shows no sign of opening...