Tom Margenau
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Tom Margenau
About Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. For many years, he was the director of SSA’s public information office at the agency’s headquarters in Baltimore, Md. In that post, he was the chief editor for more than 100 informational publications produced by SSA.
He also was SSA’s deputy press officer for several years, serving in that position as a chief spokesman for the Social Security Administration. Prior to that, he was a speechwriter for the Commissioner of Social Security. Before he moved to SSA’s headquarters, he worked for 12 years in Social Security field offices around the country, where he processed Social Security claims while writing Social Security columns for local newspapers.
He has written the “Social Security and You ” column for national syndication since 1997. Margenau graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1971. He is married and has two grown children and five grandchildren.
Posts
The GPO Repeal Backlash Has Begun
I've been preaching that the misnamed Social Security Fairness Act is a bad law. And as a result, I've been receiving angry and even hateful...
Military Myths and Social Security
Not a week goes by when I don't get emails from veterans who have been led to believe that they are missing out on some...
Cutting Social Security Administration Staff Has Consequences
If you think that these cuts are merely reversing all the growth in government that happened during years when Democrats were in power, well, you...
Older People and Social Security Disability
First of all, disability benefits are "real Social Security."
Clarifying the DOGE Allegations About Social Security
What is going on with the DOGE reports about Social Security recipients who are supposedly 120 years old?
LBJ and Social Security
Poor Lyndon Baines Johnson. When it comes to Social Security, he gets blamed for something he never did.
Addressing Social Security Concerns for Widows
For some reason, I've been getting a lot of questions from widows lately. Here are some of them.
Why Some People Don’t Pay Into Social Security
So, why are some jobs not covered by Social Security? Here is the story.
Who Deserves More? A Deep Look at Social Security’s Most Criticized Beneficiaries
"You sir, are a jerk! And how dare you say I don't deserve an increase in my Social Security checks. I've been robbed for years!"
Turning Full Retirement Age in 2025? Consider Filing for Benefits This Month
January is a critical month for the hundreds of thousands of potential Social Security beneficiaries who are reaching their full retirement age in 2025.
Social Security Update for 2025
Here are 6 major changes to Social Security coming in 2025 that you probably don't know about.
The Social Security Fairness Act: A $200 Billion Boondoggle
Turns out, the Social Security Fairness Act might not be so fair, after all. Here's why.
The History of the Social Security Number
People sometimes ask me who got the first Social Security card. They are also curious what the lowest Social Security number ever issued was—and who...
6 Surprising Facts About Social Security You Need to Know
Every once in a while, I like to just dig into my email inbox and pull out random questions about Social Security. Here are six...
Social Security Terms We Love to Hate
Every once in a while, I will use a word or phrase that ends up driving some people nuts. Well, if not "nuts," it at...
Social Security: A Global View
I have always been amazed by the number of people who think Social Security is unique to the United States. Actually, just the opposite is...
Give Thanks for Social Security
I know lots of people like to think that the "good old days" (before Social Security) were, well, the good old days. But many times,...
How Other Government Benefits Interact with Social Security
I can tell you what happens to Social Security if you get another government benefit. On the other hand, I usually can't tell you what...
Seeing Social Security Rules in “Black and White”
Readers are always asking me to explain various Social Security rules and regulations. But sometimes they want more. They want to see something official -...
Politics, Elections, and Social Security
Because the presidential and congressional elections are on everyone's mind, more than a few people have sent me emails saying something like this: "I'm afraid...
Social Security Rules I Can’t Explain
I've always prided myself on being able to explain the rationale behind various Social Security rules and regulations. However, there are some laws that I...
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