Read it & Reap II

This is my disclaimer that I do not work for the Social Security Administration, nor do I represent it. I'm just a simple girl in a complex world who enjoys blogging.

Just an interesting tidbit. The very first Social Security cards issued in 1936 looked very different from the ones in 2021. The cards design has been slightly altered 34 times. The last slight alteration was in 2007. 

From part one, we know that the Social Security Administration has been in existence for around 80 years. By design, it was intended as a small bit of encouragement for US Citizens to forego being paid in cash aka under the table. 

This amount a citizen earned, documented, thereby made known to the government is somewhat of a control tactic combined with a reward. A persons initial Social Security payment amount is based upon lifetime earnings.

Many people who feel that filing for social security money is superfluous, therefore, they decline or simply don't file.

What does a social security number mean?

The first 3 numbers, until 2011, designated the state or territory where a person was born or where the newborn was registered. 

These are just a few states or territories I chose at random.

001 -003 New Hampshire

050 - 134 New York

362 - 396 Michigan

232 - 236 West Virginia

449 - 467 Texas

505 - 508 Nebraska

521 - 524 Colorado

520 Wyoming

268 - 302 Ohio

575 - 576, 750 - 751 Hawai'i

586 Guam, American Samoa, Phillipine Islands

I found an interesting factoid regarding my own SSN.

I was born, according to my birth certificate, in West Virginia. When I was around 6 months of age, my parents relocated, along with myself, my older brother & older sister, to Michigan. Although I was born in West Virginia, my SSN has a Michigan area indicator.

My parents had 3 small children when I was born.

Ages 4, 2 & infant? Yeah, they had their hands full!

The second 2 numbers of the SSN indicate the group the record will be found in. It's in numerical order, it makes it a bit easier to locate the records when needed.

The last 4 numbers are a serial number, unique to each individual. I suppose that giving a baby an inked bar code might upset some folks, so, serial number it is. 

This system worked for several decades. Until 2011, when the SSA made the change to randomization. There had been too many acts of discrimination, profiling, if you will, based on those first three numbers, indicting where the person was born or at least, where their SSN was assigned.

Another reason was that some hot shot genius could foresee a time when the system of assigning SSN's based on area, group, serial number, could hit a wall. Each number was supposed to be used only once, making it unique to each person.

Another snag was that, if a person immigrated to the USA, upon becoming a US Citizen, their SSN is assigned based on where they were living when they became a citizen.

Many people wishing to immigrate to the US, legally aka the right way, can apply for a SSN during the time they are submitting forms, before actually moving to the USA.

There are many variations on this, that is the most common.

With the scourge of romance scammers who steal the photos of military members, there are two important facts.

1. There are NO SSN's that begin with 000. NONE. Not even if the military person is Special Forces or a Squadron Commander. Never.

2. In June, 2011 all SSNs were removed from DOD & military ID cards, replaced with a DOD identification number.

When I became happily single after being married for too long, the romance scammers were just warming up. They had been around for awhile, yet, I was unaware of them.

In addition to having to deal with the insidious liars, ghosting, cheaters, users, mansluts, now? The wonderful dating world began to increase in population of the romance scammers. 

So lovely.

The scammers often work in teams so they can bombard the victim around the clock.

It was easy for me to see through the romance scammers for what they truly were. If I were s inclined when a romance scammer contacted me. I played with them. Taking advantage, giving them encouragement. Toying with their fake interest in me just for the helluvit. The nefarious were more difficult to discern.

Am so happy that I don't have to deal with any of that garbage, now.

Many romance scammers will present their victim with a doctored military ID or doctored passport or some form of the best proof of whom they claim to be. It's so obvious to me. 

Now?

****THE GOOD STUFF****

1. Your birth date is not the birth date that the SSA uses. You can file for social security payments as early as when you are 61 years of age plus 9 months. You will receive a reduced amount if you file at this age.

2. You can file for SSA benefits at 65 years plus 9 months. You can also continue to work while receiving SSA payments up to a cap of income. This varies from person to person.

3. If you are in good health, it's better to postpone filing for SS benefits until age 70. If you wait to file, again, at age 69 + 9 months, your SSA payment will start out at 32% more than if you filed at age 62 or age 66.

4. Until 1993 the SSA payments were increased by 3% yearly as a cost of living adjustment. After that, the increase became 8% per year.

5. The increase to SSA payment increases by 8% annually until the cap of 76% is reached. There's a good benefit for longevity!

6. SSN's starting at 587 are the randomized numbers assigned to those who were born in 2011 or later. Also those who became legal US citizens in 2011 or later.

There are many more finer points to Social Security payment, rules, laws addendums. It's continually changing. I presented the basics.

One last tidbit for my readers. 💓

A combo of IDing a scammer & the SSA.

Love, Peace & Happiness, Y'all!

Read It & Reap

During the first part of my life I hated to think about money. Loathed talking about it. Maybe it's because I was a jealous wife. There was one key factor of my jealousy of the man I married's first love. 

The ex huzz loved money.

He loved it  more than he loved anyone or anything. When he was deployed, he would phone me. The very first words he would say would be, 

"Hey, how is the checkbook?"

He seemed to think it was funny. His love for money above myself, above our 4 children was just one of the many factors that killed whatever love I had ever felt for him.

In many cultures, such as British, it's considered vulgar to speak of money in conversation unless it's with a financial professional. 

My beloved grandfather, Sherman L Kendall, had many personality traits, found in British culture. He may have passed these traits onto me. He passed so many benevolent traits onto me, the attitude toward money may have been one of those. I hate to talk about money, still.

Today, this blog entry is about money.

(writing is different from talking, lol)

I'm not even close to filing for Social Security, yet, it does behoove to be informed.

The Social Security act was signed as law in August 1935 by President Franklin D Roosevelt. It was tossed around by congress for the entire month of July 1935. This is a relatively short amount of time as compared to present day.

In 1976 the bare minimum amount paid was $170. monthly. As of 2020 it was $886.

If any statistics I present here are in error, feel free to, after doing your own reasearch, correct this information.

One of my strong suites is to be okay with being wrong, admitting it, then learning from it.

There are so many laws, rules, addendums, minor modifications to addendems, it's a lot to read. Great bed time reading if you wish to be kept awake for a week or if you wish to fall asleep from boredum within 5 minutes or less. Unless you love money so much that it's like crack cocaine to you.

If your income + assets are at or below the poverty line, you may enjoy the reading. 

In the USA the poor are more subject to Capitol Punishment than anyone. Why?

With less capitol you are more likely to get punishment or more severe at the least.

(I made a funny, though, it's not really funny)

In an effort to raise the standard of living, the social security act was signed as law. It was lightly reasoned that if people who tended toward criminal acts had more money, they might be less likely to turn to crime. This caused a slight backfire in that the crime rate did see a minimal decrease. This was merely a blip in that it caused more dependency on money from the government. 

A myriad of problems sprung up around social security payments. To have light there must be darkness, to have crops there must be rainfall. 

For the sake of brevity, I have divided this post into 2 entries.

The really good & $$$$ stuff is in part II.

Stay tuned!!!!

Sunday Muse

In the woo-woo world there are many people having the experience of life review. Thinking of as well as sometimes speaking of that which they only visited long ago.

Some people speculate that it's a fluke. Others have been feeling that it's the foretold shift beginning in Gaia, mother earth. Whatever it is, I'm experiencing the feeling of a shift in vibration, if you will. Perhaps it's simply that I'm more centered, grounded than I have ever been in life up to this point. 

Having more freedom in so many aspects of my life than I have ever experienced before. I must say, it feels really good!

Keep in mind that although life is quite nice right now, it still has it's ups as well as the other. 

I'll take it! 

Milk it! 

Let this pony run!

Today, working out, I was musing ~

Michael Jacksons music has the perfect rhythm for the elliptical.

Coldplay music has perfect rhythm for the elliptical AND Stairmaster!

SATC ~ Hey, can I cancel my rice pudding?

Well, there's a muscle that I used to feel, feeling it, now!

After this, I should do some house cleaning, I'll stitch, instead.

Uh oh, I'm getting hungry, have to work out then, eat.

Did I shave my legs? Nope. Oh, well.

Aww, there's a kitten walking around outside.

Today doesn't feel like Fathers Day, maybe it's because I'm an orphan.

I think I'm the only girl, here. Sausage fest.

Going to the post office tomorrow, I rock!

I'm using up my energy, have to keep going. 3 miles, I got this.

Can I make it to 4 miles, six miles? 

I haven't cussed in a long time, go, ME!

I wonder how my son is doing today, dang, I miss him.

It's that time of year. Every day weather forecast in Texas. HOT!

I feel so stoked that I repaired my smart TV, myself, I'm da bomb!

OMG, is that MY CAR? Better wash it, today!

I killed 23 house flies yesterday. 23 down, 1,000,000, to go.

Might have to stop at 4.5 miles, my lips are drying out. UGH.

I should hire someone to help me clean my house this week. Wish I had a friend who would help me even if it's just to keep me company while I do the cleaning. *sigh* I can wish.

Green. Love the color, green.

Whew! 5 miles, yep, I think it's a good work out. Time really flew.

My T Shirt is soaked, have to wash it, again.

Now, I'm really hungry. Salmon filet & steamed broccoli, YAY!

This was going through my head as I did some serious cardio at home then at the gym, then, some weight resistance bands at home. Weird, my thoughts were so random today.

Vigilance

Watching the skies on a warm Texas night

Each star becomes brighter as the sun fades

With a promise of yet another day

When earth awakens in birdsong serenades

New days bring new possibilities

To create in ourselves who we wish to be

Right the wrongs without ending

Look in the mirror we like who we see

Life throws curve balls in spades

Sometimes in singles sometimes in bunches

One truth remains for all of us

It's paramount to roll with the punches