Topic: Social Security

At core of Obama's State of the Union address: the middle class (+video)

Job creation and building the middle class will get special emphasis in President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday, administration officials say. Will the speech also make liberals glow, as his inaugural did?

Focus State of the Union: Obama's ambitious second-term agenda (+video)

Prospects are mixed for President Obama's second-term agenda, from immigration to climate change to economic recovery. Both Obama and the Republicans are walking a tricky political line. 

Focus State of the Union: Can Obama still be transformational?

In his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Obama can fuel talk that he is the Democrats’ Ronald Reagan – an iconic figure whose goals guide his party's next generation.

Robert Reich State of the Union address: Why Obama should focus on the economy

President Obama's State of the Union address should center on the joblessness, falling real wages, economic insecurity, and widening inequality that continue to dog the nation, Reich writes.

Tax VOX Immigration debate: a reason to separate work and family tax credits

Work and family tax credits are needlessly complex for immigrant families whose children's legal status and residency determine their eligibility those credits, Maag writes.

Robert Reich Jobs and growth over deficit reduction

Right now the central challenge is to reignite the economy, Reich writes, getting jobs back, improving wages, and restoring growth. 

Opinion California's balanced budget? Hold the applause.

Although Gov. Jerry Brown has pronounced California's "did the impossible" with its balanced budget, the state is still in miserable condition. Like the federal government, it has to make some hard choices going forward. And voters need to make an extra effort to participate in state politics.

Is Facebook setting you up for identity theft?

Social media sites like Facebook and YouTube provide a gold mine for bad guys. When you post your birthday or download free apps, you may be setting yourself up for identity theft.

Credit card con artists steal over $200 million: 18 arrested

18 credit card con artists used at least 7,000 fake identities to obtain more than 25,000 credit cards, scamming at least $200 million, say authorities.

Recession averted, but rising debt still a threat, CBO warns

The CBO forecast on the economy describes the dilemma lawmakers face. Their successful measures to avoid a recession have left in place an expected dangerous rise in the national debt.

Where's my refund? IRS tool helps you answer that question.

'Where's my refund' has been updated this year, so you can find your status within 24 hours of filing your return electronically. The 'Where's my refund' tool won't give an estimated refund date immediately, but 90 percent of tax refunds should go out within 21 days. 

Debt limit: Link any increase to spending cuts? Majority in poll says yes.

The results of the Monitor/TIPP poll – some 75 percent of respondents said the debt limit and spending should be linked – mesh with other surveys that cite rising concerns about deficits.

Tax VOX The risks of aiming low in deficit reduction

Some on the left are defining successful deficit reduction too modestly, Penner writes, threatening to leave future fiscal policy perilously constrained.

Robert Reich Jobs report: why the recovery has stalled

Friday's jobs report shows that the government is heading in exactly the wrong direction by raising taxes on the middle class and cutting spending, Reich writes.

Kerry Senate seat now has contested primary: Stephen Lynch hat in ring

Rep. Stephen Lynch, a former ironworker, announced his campaign to succeed John Kerry in the Senate. He faces Rep. Edward Markey, the apparent front-runner, in a Democratic primary.

Focus Behind the falling US birthrate: too much student debt to afford kids?

The record-low birthrate in the US is showing no signs of bouncing back, even with the economy on the mend. Evidence is growing that huge student debt may be deterring people from starting families.

Obama on immigration reform: I'll act if Congress doesn't

President Obama praised a bipartisan Senate effort on immigration reform but also warned that if lawmakers get bogged down, he’ll send Congress a bill based on the proposal he outlined Tuesday.

Stocks climb with Dow approaching 14,000

Stocks rose on Wall Street Tuesday as the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 13,954. The January rally looked as if it was running out of steam yesterday as stocks pulled back from their highs, but Tuesday stocks resumed their ascent toward record levels.

Saving Money Get organized for tax season: six tips

Tax season will be less of a hassle of you have everything organized ahead of time. Here are six steps to make tax time a breeze. 

Social Security and Medicare: Do you get back what you pay in?

People who pay into Social Security and Medicare their whole working lives are often told by politicians that they've 'earned' these retirement benefits. Here's why that's not necessarily so.

Robert Reich The rich, not the poor, must make sacrifices

Tax VOX Budget crisis: five ways the parties increasingly disagree

Republicans and Democrats are setting out fiscal goals that are light-years apart, Gleckman writes. Here are five stumbling blocks to a budget deal:

Phil Mickelson: Quitting golf over higher taxes?

Phil Mickelson has hinted at a move away from California, perhaps the United States, and maybe even away from golf as he seeks to escape punitive taxes. Phil Mickelson says that because of recent changes, he would pay a 62 percent rate on his taxes.

Inauguration 2013: How Obama is different from four years ago (+video)

Inauguration 2013 is different from the 2009 version in many ways – not least the president himself. He's learned some tough political lessons, but he still seems to have ambitious plans.

Energy Voices Will oil troubles push the US into a severe recession?

High oil prices and continued oil problems around the world will likely push the US economy into a severe recession by the end of 2013, Tverberg writes.