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Social Security Offices May Re-open in January

The Social Security Administration recently revealed a plan to require their staff to return to offices around the country starting as early as January 3 next year. The timing of the plan may turn out to be rather unfortunate as it was unveiled shortly before the...

2022 Medicare Costs Announced

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the new premium, coinsurance and deductible amounts for Medicare Parts A and B. Although unsurprising given the large increase in Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) announced by Social Security,...

SSA Reconsiders Deadline on SSI Continuing Benefits

SSI recipients will probably all be well-aware that their benefit is considered by Social Security to be ‘needs-based’. This means that almost any kind of other income or change in living arrangement is going to have some effect on it and usually seems to cause it to...

A Basic Training on VA Disability Compensation Benefits

Despite being a nation that historically couldn’t really give a fig for the plight of the indigent or the disabled America has always had a soft spot for those who fight for whatever it is the nation believes in at any given time. Be it fighting off the shackles of an...

Let Them Have It: Social Security Wants Your Feedback

A quick perusal of the regular and often enlightening Social Security blog, Social Security Matters, reveals that the agency has created a simple on-line customer survey that can be completed in a matter of seconds, but allows for more in-depth analysis if that’s more...

An August Occasion: Celebrating National ABLE Savings Day

This year August 14 marks, amongst other notable events, the 236th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Väräla which brought about an end to the Russo-Swedish War; exactly 124 years later the arrival of British Expeditionary Force in France saw the beginning of...

Priority Treatment: SSA Adds to the Compassionate Allowance List

A fresh press release from Social Security will provide some good news to potential beneficiaries who experience a range of disabilities. Fourteen relatively obscure conditions have been added to the agency’s Compassionate Allowance policy. The policy allows Social...

Won’t Get Food Again: SNAP Eligibility in Decline

Recent articles in The Atlantic and by NPR have highlighted the growing concern in the reduction in the number of food stamp beneficiaries over the past year. The current figure, as estimated by the Department of Agriculture, stands at around 37 million recipients,...

Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Social Security Adds New Features to MySSA Accounts

A recent press release from Social Security looked to encourage applicants who have found themselves having to appeal a denial to use a My Social Security account when working through that process. Evidently very keen on getting you on board, the agency has produced a...

Summer Break: Maryland’s SUN Bucks Program

Originally launched by Governor Wes Brown back in 2024 Maryland’s Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, which trades under the SUN Bucks title, is back for another year. SUN Bucks is the state’s provision to allow eligible families with children aged between 5...

Food Security: New EBT Cards Coming Soon!

Maryland’s Department of Human Resources announced last week that they would be rolling out new Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards as part of a modernization plan designed to ward off food stamp thievery. The new cards will have the same capabilities as regular...

No Going Back: Medicaid Retroactive Eligibility Span Reduced

The Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 has provided this blog with a seemingly ceaseless font of bad news stories. Here’s another one. Currently someone applying for Medicaid can get retroactive coverage for up to three months prior to the date of application as long...

Working It Out: SNAP Eligibility Changes and Maryland’s Response

The current administration’s legislation on changes to work requirements for SNAP recipients are now in force and beneficiaries are feeling the effects. H.R.1’s new rules require non-exempt adults aged between 18 and 64 to show proof of employment, volunteering or job...

Centralized Planning: SSA Announces Administrative Changes to Disability Reviews

In a press release from last week Social Security made it known that they are in the process of transitioning how Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR) will be conducted. If you receive SSDI or SSI you’ll probably be aware that, unless you have a Ticket to Work in use...

Spread the Word: Social Security Promotes ‘Slam the Scam’ 2026

National Consumer Protection week, which has been sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission since 1998, is soon to be upon us. It runs from March 1 to 7 and is designed to spread awareness and provide information to us, the consumers, on how to best safeguard our own...