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Modifications Made to SSI Mobile Wage Reporting

Aug 5, 2022

The Social Security Administration has had in place for a few years now various options for SSI recipients to report their earnings. Where once it was advisable to go in person to your local office or to fax your pay stubs, you could also just call in and let a worker...

In Case of Emergency Only: MA for Undocumented Marylanders

Jul 29, 2022

As a general rule in Maryland if you are living here but undocumented you are entitled to no health insurance coverage at all, However, there is a little caveat to that regulation which allows a short period of Medical Assistance coverage. You could qualify if you’ve...

Speculation Mounting on Huge Social Security Benefits Increases in 2023

Jul 22, 2022

Several media outlets have recently published stories on the prospects of a large hike in Social Security benefits in the new year, with projections of there being as much as a 10.5% percent increase in 2023. The annual Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)...

Mental Health Concerns? Just Dial 988 for Help

Jul 14, 2022

From this Saturday July 16 anyone in the US experiencing mental health distress can simply call or text the number 988 to get connected with a trained counselor. A suicide prevention hotline has been around for 17 years now but the current number (1-800-273-8255) has...

P- EBT Payments May Be on Their Way Soon

Jun 24, 2022

Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfers (P-EBT) have been around since 2020 and is a program to help families with children pay for food when the youngsters are not in school. The system was set up to provide retroactive payment to any kids who missed school due to any...

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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...

SSA Announces 2026 COLAs

2026’s Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) was recently published and there are some limited but welcome increases across the board. Benefits are due to go up 2.8%. In terms of how that looks to SSI recipients, it means that the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) will rise to...

SSA Reveals Service Plan during the Federal Government Shutdown

Social Security has issued a statement on its Advocates webpage highlighting the level of its availability during the government shutdown which went into effect today, October 1. Crucially, all SSI and SSDI payments will continue without change and on the same payment...