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Community Corner

The Sequester: What It Means For Social Security

The mandated budget cuts could have an impact on many Palo Alto residents.

 

First it was the "Fiscal Cliff." Now "Sequestration" takes center stage. 

A set of mandated federal spending cuts due to take effect today if Congress and President Obama cannot reach an agreement will not include cuts to entitlement programs like Social Security.

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But that doesn't mean Social Security is immune to the situation, and it could have an impact on the agency's Mountain View office.

According to CNBC:

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"The Social Security Administration would have to furlough workers for ten days or more. That would likely delay the processing of retirement and disability claims and a smaller staff would mean offices would be closed early or permanently, resulting in longer wait times for service. Social Security checks are still expected to be mailed."

The Baltimore Sun reports the cuts would leave people who call the agency's hotline on hold for 10 minutes and delay some disability decisions by a month.

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