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- Social Security recipients could get check worth $495 (themirror.com)
Advocates for Seniors Propose $495 One-Time Payment
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) has called for a one-time payment of $495 to Social Security recipients. The group suggests funding this payment using funds recovered from Social Security overpayments. This proposal comes as the Trump administration implements a new policy to increase the Social Security Administration’s efforts to reclaim overpaid benefits.
According to TSCL’s analysis, the government could distribute a $495 check to each senior if it recovered the full balance of overpaid benefits in a typical year. Furthermore, TSCL projects that if the government continued to redistribute recovered overpayments annually, seniors could see an average benefit increase of $77 each year.
TSCL argues that this measure could compensate for a lower-than-anticipated Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2026. Based on recent Consumer Price Index data, the group estimates the 2026 COLA at 2.8 percent, significantly lower than the average 3.9 percent COLA seen in the 2020s.
TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton acknowledges the importance of recovering overpayments but emphasizes the need to avoid undue hardship on beneficiaries. Benton expresses concern about the potential impact of immediate benefit reductions, particularly for seniors without financial support, and advocates for extending the time between notification and recoupment. She also urges Congress to reconsider the Social Security Overpayment Fairness Act.
This proposal enters the political arena amidst renewed debate surrounding Social Security’s future, sparked by recent comments from Elon Musk criticizing the program. While the White House maintains that Musk’s remarks referred only to fraud, Democrats have seized on the issue, highlighting public opinion polls that consistently demonstrate strong support for Social Security among voters across party lines. Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin recently cautioned that the president might target retirement benefits, a sentiment echoed by many seniors who view Social Security as a rightfully earned benefit after a lifetime of contributions.
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- Social Security recipients could get check worth $495 (themirror.com)