Be skeptical never cynical

To The Eagle:

Did I provide false information, maybe not. Always fact-check at the actual source, ignore false Snoops weasel wording. I’m told in an Eagle letter “From the outset and ever since, FICA taxes have never been tax deductible.” That is just wrong (another Snoops oops). On SS taxation visit “ssa.gov” “history taxation of benefits”: Original SS Act became law Aug 14, 1935. Until 1984 SS benefits were not being federally taxed. SSA “Research Note #12: Taxation of Social Security Benefits: …1938 Treasury Department Tax Rulings, and another in 1941, Social Security benefits have been explicitly excluded from federal income taxation.” And key: “Beginning in 1984, a portion of Social Security benefits have been subject to federal income taxes.” so says SS Administration.

Then I read “No one without an SS account that has been paid into for at least 10 years can qualify to receive payments.” Again, fact check at “ssa.gov” history site: “Amendments to the Social Security Act” Also Fact-check “ssa.gov” history site: “Carter Statements (carterstmts)”. Use of SS monetary benefits has been expanded to others. Sidebar: Due to a SSA amendment in 1983 personally I had to have 30+ years of “substantial SS covered earnings” to avoid (by exemption) WEP reduction in my SS benefits. Fact checking requires avoiding hype and spin commercial fact checking websites, go directly to the actual source. Always be skeptical, but never cynical.

Rick Fritz

Cathlamet