Democratic State Convention, Status Of The Do Not Call List, Making The Most Of Social Security

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Social Security is a major source of support for many Americans, but it can also be hard to know if you’re getting all of the benefits. Our guest talks about navigating America’s Social Security system. We also get the story behind out-of-control telemarketer calls, and get the latest from the state’s Democratic convention.

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  • Why Some Are Getting More Robocalls Now Than A Decade Ago

    Thirteen years ago, the Federal Trade Commission created the National Do Not Call Registry, a list that people could sign onto to limit the number of telemarketing calls they got. For many, it provided relief from unwanted phone calls.

    But according to journalist and Slate.com columnist Helaine Olen, the refuge from unknown numbers hasn’t lasted and there seems to be a rise in calls from telemarketers and phone scams that have costed people money. (For what they sound like, think of the robotic voice of “Rachel from cardholder services” or the notorious IRS scam.)

    “The Do Not Call list comes in 2003, and while it’s never perfect, for several years, as we all know, it was working pretty well,” Olen said. “Roughly until about 2009 or 2010, you see the complaints start to soar again.”

    Part of the problem came with the rise of Voice over IP (VoIP), the technology that emancipated so many from sky-high long-distance phone bills. Olen said VoIP made it easier for unwanted callers around the world to use technology to disguise where they were calling from, which makes deceiving people easier for scammers, and cracking down on criminals harder for the government. (As an example, the IRS scam used a false Washington, D.C., area code.)

    “It’s very hard to enforce fines and other penalties (on) people (when) you’re not even sure who they are and where they are. And if you find them, they turn out to be in Russia or India or Bangladesh or Peru, or fill in the blank,” she said.

    Olen said that those advances in technology “have rendered the Do Not Call list ineffective,” and she believes has created a misunderstanding of whether the government or private telecom companies are responsible for the spike in calls that aren’t only a nuisance, but sometime costly.

    “In this case what seems to be going on is that people are actually blaming the government for ignoring their woes,” she said. “The problem is emanating not from the government, which is frantically trying to do something about this, but the private telecom companies … who are not acting particularly accountable to their customers.”

    Olen said that many phone companies are reluctant to provide the services that block robocallers, and if it’s an option, it’s often difficult to register for in part because it’s probably costly especially if it entails upgrading older landlines.

    Recent legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier in April and another bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer last week have tried to tackle the problem of robocallers, and Olen said consumers that for consumers who want to avoid robocalls, but are signed up with phone companies that offer them functions to block robocallers, Capitol Hill might be the best place to look.

    “Truthfully, I think the most effective thing would be to lobby Washington to get these bills passed, so that the phone companies are actually forced to act,” she said. “Lobby your phone company, lobby your senator or congressman. If you can and this is a real issue for you, consider switching. If enough people switch their lines to somebody who is offering more help, it might actually also cause some movement.”

  • Financial Writer Weighs In On Social Security Benefits Basics, Loopholes

    Social Security can be a major source of support after one’s retirement, but it’s not always obvious when and how to claim benefits. A financial expert says it’s important for Americans to understand the basics before laying out how to make the most of the benefits.

    “The idea behind it is that it’s a social safety net. It’s never been intended as a retirement program exactly,” said Emily Guy Birken, a finance writer and author of “Making Social Security Work For You.”

    Guy Birken said Social Security has been understandably synonymous with personal retirement accounts ever since President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed the legislation in a move that she said was both politically savvy and helpful to the elderly who were gripped by poverty.

    And while workers contribute to the program throughout their labor history, it’s not a direct transfer of wealth to oneself.

    “That is not how it works and it’s never been how it works,” she said. “It’s always been to treat it as a direct transfer from current workers to current beneficiaries. You have to trust that once you get to retirement current workers at that time will be paying for your benefits.”

    Social Security’s pay-it-forward dynamic has led to concerns about the program’s ability to stay financially afloat. Guy Birken said while it’s true that the Social Security’s trust fund is projected to be depleted in the 2030s, that’s only one source of income for the program. While it might be a little scary, she added that the U.S. is the only country in the world that does a 75-year projection, putting lawmakers in a unique position to plan ahead.

    “The problem is this has always been a little bit of a political football,” said Guy Birken. “They call it the third rail of politics. You don’t want to touch it.”

    Guy Birken said one of the most frequent questions people have is when to start taking their Social Security retirement benefits?

    “In general, the longer you wait the better it is,” she said, adding that it will provide a higher monthly benefit as one ages. However, she added that in some cases, particularly if one is severely struggling to even keep the lights on, it may make sense to start receiving benefits when first eligible at the age of 62.

    A series of new laws recently went into effect that changed Social Security benefit rules, and consequently led to Guy Birken having to go back and rewrite large portions of her book. She said it basically closed two unintended loopholes from changes originally made back in 2000.

    One of the big changes included the elimination of the file-and-suspend strategy, which allowed beneficiaries to file for benefits once reaching full retirement age and then immediately suspending them to allow spouses and children to continue receiving auxiliary benefits. The other loophole involved restrictive applications that allowed married couples to accrue late retirement benefits for some joint Social Security filings, which sometimes meant as much as an extra $50,000 to $60,000, said Guy Birken.

  • Why The Do Not Call List Is Falling Short, And What We Can Do About It

    Despite the existence of the Do Not Call list, calls from telemarketers, scammers, and Rachel from Card Services seem to be out of control these days. Why? A columnist explores why the Do Not Call list is failing, and what, if anything, we can do about it.

  • Making The Best Decisions On Social Security Benefits

    Social Security can be a major source of support after retirement–but it’s not always obvious when and how to claim benefits. A finance writer lays out the basics…and how to make the most of Social Security benefits.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Haleema Shah Producer
  • Rob Ferrett Producer
  • Chris Malina Producer
  • Helaine Olen Guest
  • Emily Guy Birken Guest

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