teachers got sold down the river in the tax deal

[dsc]

In most northern and western states teachers do not pay into Social Security but have a seperate retirement plan. In most southern states teachers do pay into Social Security and have a seperate retirement plan as well. I am a southern teacher but my northern peers are important too. Those teachers will lose making work pay, for which many of them qualified, and not have it replaced by the Social Security tax cut. On top of that, they lose the $250 deduction for classroom expenses. That will translate to either a $650 or $1050 tax increase for a single, or married teacher. I actually gain a bit since I lose $650 but gain just about $1000. Many teachers are already pissed off over education policy, now a tax bill in which virtually everyone but them gets a tax cut. Might be nice to get the educator expense added back in with the ethonal tax credits.

[Dinger]

1. Yes, That Would Be Nice

Thank You.:hug:

[WinkyDink]

2. PA. teachers pay into S.S. BTW: DU's BH, DT. There are only 14 states applicable to the OP:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=219&topic_id=21571&mesg_id=21594

[Kalyke]

4. So, since there are only 14 states included, we're supposed to

look the other way and not give a flying fuck about the teachers in those 14 states?

:eyes:

[enlightenment]

5. Apparently.

The excuses for this mess grow more absurd every hour.

[WinkyDink]

16. I'm suggesting the OP be less imprecise. DO YOU MIND?

[Kalyke]

20. Then say that instead of implying that it doesn't matter because

it only effects 14 states.

And I do mind when people are acting like dillweeds.

[dsc]

6. I will admit it is fewer than I thought

but still given that say Ohio might be important in the Presidential election it might behoove us to solve this problem.

[hfojvt]

23. it looks to me that those 14 states contain

at least 40% of the U.S. population. I just added up their populations from a 2003 road atlas and may have forgotten Connecticut and then divided by 300 million and got 39.59 or so. Any list that includes California, Texas, Ohio, and Masschusetts covers a lot of people.

However, I am surprised that those teachers were covered by the Making Work Pay credit because that was supposed to be based on FICA taxes. Or is that just because teachers make enough money that they were paying taxes?

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. So it's not as large a problem as suspected. That's good.

It needs to be corrected in these 14 states. It's a dumb policy.

[laughingliberal]

3. Explicit campaign promise broken. No one who makes under $200,000 a year will see their taxes...

go up one dime. Not one dime. Promise broken.

[Donna Zen]

7. Because I worked

I worked hard to get through college, and I worked hard after college; however, I wasn't teaching. I qualify to get SS, but because I will retire from teaching in a state that doesn't allow me to collect SS, I'm screwed.

The amount of my retirement will force me into the cat food line; therefore, I can't retire.

Yes, I am among those who will see my taxes go up, but I'm fighting against this tax bill because it weakens SS. Something in me believes in the greater good.

[oldhippie]

8. Please tell me how a state can prevent you from collecting SS ....

.... when you say you are qualified to get it? How does that work?

My SS payment is reduced substantially since I receive another govt pension, but since I qualify for SS I can still get a little (about 40%) of what I qualified for.

[Donna Zen]

13. My SS...

I'm qualified because of having worked other jobs. With teachers' retirement in my state being so meager and the SS outset being greater than what I might receive, I will not collect SS. Nada. Also, in my state, Maine, retired teachers only received 35% of paid health care.

I checked out everything this past summer. Believe me when I tell you that I am screwed.

Oh, and Wall Street took about 40% of our savings when they went on their gambling spree. We did without plenty to build up that nest egg, but I may as well gone out and bought diamonds and ball gowns. Now I learn that I will be losing the little deduction for all of the money that I spend on my classroom...books, paper, pens and pencils...the works.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. What do you mean by 'SS outset'?

Do they deduct your SS from your retirement check?

[Donna Zen]

18. Sorry

I meant "offset".

Yes, the state deducts the amt. and I never get SS only the retirement.

Look, I talked to both the fed office and my state office.

I'm not sure why Maine hates its teachers.

[Donna Zen]

19. Sorry

I meant "offset".

Yes, the state deducts the amt. and I never get SS only the retirement.

Look, I talked to both the fed office and my state office.

I'm not sure why Maine hates its teachers.

[YvonneCa]

21. Could the poster mean the WEP/GPO Offset...

...enacted in the 80's ? GPO Government Pension Offset. WEP Windfall Elimination Provision. CTA and other unions have wanted to overturn these for years.

[oldhippie]

22. I fall under the WEP, and that's why my SS is reduced ...

I would qualify for about $950/mo in SS based on what I paid in for the years I worked in jobs covered by SS. But since I have a govt pension also, I only get about $380/mo max of SS. Even though I paid into SS for many years, they figure I don't "need" the full benefit I thought I had earned.

[YvonneCa]

24. Same here. A person who worked and paid in to SS...

...for the same number of years as I can collect that full amount...even if they chose to stay home during all the years I returned to school, earned a teaching credential, and worked hard on the behalf of my students (and my own personal children, BTW) and the state educational system. My SS benefit is cut by 60%, although it does qualify me for Medicare :7 (assuming it's still around).

That's fairness for you. :sarcasm:

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. You can't collect SS even though you contributed on your previous job?

How can you be prevented from collecting if you already have an account??

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. We lost our $250 deduction?

I was told it was in the compromise. My congressman told me. Are you sure they took it out?

[dsc]

12. I hope you are right

I haven't seen it listed anywhere.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I was told it was still there.

It's all pretty confusing however.

[dsc]

17. If it is in there that is very helpful

frankly I come out better even without it but I still oppose the SS cut both because it leaves out both those teachers and harms poor people but also because it is a potential huge problem for SS in the future.