Nope. Disability and survivor benefits are included in the program. Contributions you make provide insurance in the event you become disabled; they also may cover your adult child if he or she becomes disabled before age 22. And, assuming you worked enough to qualify for retirement benefits, your spouse and children can receive Social Security survivor benefits after you die.
See more at CNNMoney.com – Ultimate guide to retirement
Gas prices crossed the milestone $3 mark Thursday for the first time since Oct. 17, 2008, as the national average compiled by motorist group AAA reached $3.013 a gallon.
Prices have risen more than 4% from $2.872 a month ago and are nearly 16% higher than the $2.585 average a year ago, according to the AAA figures.
The cost of gasoline has been climbing steadily since bottoming out at $1.616 in December 2008. However, the average price is down $1.101 — ...
Continue → ShareThe Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, has tips to help consumers make smart online shopping decisions for the holidays:
Know who you’re dealing with:
- Confirm the online seller’s physical address and phone number before you buy.
Know what you’re buying:
- Read the seller’s description of the product and the fine print.
- Understand the terms and conditions regarding refunds, including who pays the shipping costs, and whether there is a restocking fee.
- Print and save records of your online transactions, including all emails to ...
The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on manufacturers of certain weight loss, body building and sexual enhancement supplements that contain potentially dangerous ingredients.
The FDA said Wednesday that some manufacturers are deceptively labeling products to hide that they contain ingredients known to cause health problems. Other supplements contain ingredients that should be available only by prescription.
“These tainted products can cause serious adverse effects, including strokes, organ failure and death,” ...
Continue → ShareA federal judge has halted an operation that allegedly tricked people into paying a $20 fee to collect a fake multi-million-dollar sweepstakes prize. This case is part of an FTC crackdown on scams that target financially strapped Americans. The FTC is seeking to make the defendants give up their ill-gotten gains.
Some of the mailers claimed that they were affiliated with a government agency, such as the “State of Illinois Commissioners of Regulation” and “OFFICE OF ...
Continue → ShareThe discovery of hard plastic inside packages prompted a nationwide recall of 72,000 pounds of canned chicken salad, one of several recalls involving poultry and meat products issued through U.S. food safety authorities in recent days.
The Suter Company is recalling 8.2-ounce packages of the “Bumble Bee Lunch on the Run Chicken Salad Complete Lunch Kit” and 3.5-ounce packages of “Bumble Bee Chicken Salad with Crackers,” according to a statement released Sunday by the U.S. ...
Continue → ShareFederal Trade Commission has charged three debt relief operations with making unsubstantiated claims to lure consumers nationwide into paying thousands of dollars in up-front fees, but failing to reduce credit card debts as promised.
The FTC’s complaints charge that few consumers received the promised results. Many consumers canceled or dropped out of the programs because they couldn’t afford to pay the defendants’‘ sizable advance fees and accumulate money to pay off their debts.
Federal Trade Commission
Elder abuse is a growing problem. While we don’t know all of the details about why abuse occurs or how to stop its spread, we do know that help is available for victims. Concerned people, like you, can spot the warning signs of a possible problem, and make a call for help if an elder is in need of assistance.
The National Center on Elder Abuse website is a resource to answer your questions and provide ...
Continue → ShareDecorating for the holidays is fun for the entire family. However, there are many items in homes during the holiday season that can be dangerous, such as burning candles and glass ornaments that require extra supervision – especially in homes with young children.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 600 fires in the U.S. are caused from Christmas tree lights and decorations each year. Additionally, 7,500 injuries occur from Christmas trees and decorations ...
Continue → ShareIf a borrower defaults on a mortgage, the lender may seek foreclosure on the property. In Texas foreclosures may be ordered by a court or without court involvement. Typically, a non-judicial foreclosure is conducted by auction “on the courthouse steps.” Defaults that lead to foreclosure may be monetary or technical, and specified notice and other requirements must be followed if the foreclosure is to be valid.
Non-judicial foreclosure auctions are conducted on the first Tuesday of each month between the hours ...
Continue → ShareIf there are grounds for alleging that loan documents, notices, or some impropriety in the sale, the borrower may file a “wrongful foreclosure” lawsuit.
If you are facing a potential foreclosure or have received an “Notice of Default and Intent to Accelerate,” you should act quickly. It is much easier to stop a foreclosure before it occurs than to get a remedy after the foreclosure is complete. If the property is sold to a third party there is little chance that ...
Continue → ShareA 73-year-old Filipino woman made history when she became the first person in California to win her house back from her lender even after it was foreclosed in San Jose, California.
Corazon Palma got her 4-bedroom house back after staging a battle against Washington Mutual through a wrongful foreclosure lawsuit. She claimed her lender promised to send her a loan modification packet. Instead, a Coldwell Banker real estate broker came to her house to notify her that her house had been ...
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