Social Security

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its tabulation of the monthly unemployment rate, showing the jobless rate dipped to 7.5 percent in April. But that leaves out one major segment of the population: Those forced into retirement. While older Americans were less likely to lose their jobs in the recession, it's ...

The tax package that Congress passed in the final hour of New Year's Day will protect 99 percent of Americans from an income tax increase, but almost every person will still see a hit to their paychecks. That's because the legislation did nothing to prevent a reduction in the Social Security payroll tax from ...

By Jose Pagliery Everyone's paycheck is about to take a hit, and it's not the boss's fault. But some business owners say it's a tough talk to have. The rate of workers' payroll taxes, which fund Social Security, has been 4.2 percent for the past two years. As of Jan. 1, it's back to 6.2 percent, on the ...

Despite a slight drop in the unemployment rate among older workers last month, many are finding that it still takes a long time to find work after being laid off. The length of joblessness among workers 55 and older rose to 52.7 weeks in August, much higher than the 36.1 weeks for younger workers, the Labor ...

By Tom Raum WASHINGTON (AP) -- Fifty percent of U.S. workers earned less than $26,364 last year, reflecting a growing income gap between the nation's rich and poor, the government reported Thursday. There were fewer jobs, and overall pay was trending down - except for the nation's wealthiest. The number of ...

By Andrew Taylor WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's jobs bill, facing a critical test in the Senate, appears likely to die at the hands of Republicans opposed to stimulus spending and a tax surcharge on millionaires. ...

By THOMAS BEAUMONT JEFFERSON, Iowa (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry said Thursday the health care bill GOP rival Mitt Romney enacted in Massachusetts paved the way for President Barack Obama's federal health law last year and cost the state jobs. Perry's criticism was his sharpest yet of ...

By DAVID ESPO WASHINGTON (AP) -- Wasting no time, President Barack Obama is pitching to the public his $447 billion jobs program of tax cuts and new spending after bluntly telling Congress to "stop the political circus" and fix the economy. ...

By PAUL WISEMAN WASHINGTON (AP) -- First, do no harm. Economists say the most important part of the jobs plan President Barack Obama will unveil Thursday night is the renewal of two measures already in place - a cut in Social Security taxes and emergency aid for the unemployed. His new proposals, like ...