Social Security defines policy for same-sex married couples

Social Security has published new instructions that allow the agency to process more claims in which entitlement or eligibility is affected by a same-sex relationship. These instructions come in response to last year’s Supreme Court decision in U.S. vs. Windsor, which found Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. This latest policy development lets…

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Social Security publishes new Supplemental Security Income rules involving same-sex married couples

Social Security has published new instructions that allow the agency to process some Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims by individuals who are in a same-sex marriage. These instructions come in response to last year’s Supreme Court decision in U.S. v. Windsor which found Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. SSI is a program…

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Means-testing is not a route Medicare should take

Despite the current respite from the government shutdown and near default, we aren’t really much closer to a real budget deal. House Republicans want to keep discretionary spending at the slashed levels of the sequester and decrease the deficit through cuts to entitlements like Medicare and Social Security. President Obama wants to ease the sequester…

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SSAB: Individuals in same-sex marriages should not wait to submit applications for Social Security benefits if they believe they are eligible

WASHINGTON — Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Social Security and Medicare benefits may soon be available to same-sex couples in the District of Columbia and the 13 states recognizing same-sex marriage. June 26,  in United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court ruled Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional, finding…

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