A new report has been published by the Democrats Abroad Taxation Task Force (TTF) entitled "The Tax and Financial Issues of American Abroad -- Once Uncomfortable, Now Suffocating".

A tax survey of Americans Abroad was opened for responses by the TTF in April 2022. The survey was designed to collect up-to-date information on how Americans living outside the U.S. experience U.S. taxation and financial access in their countries of residence. 

The task force analyzed the responses and presented its findings in the full report which you can download on their website.

https://www.democratsabroad.org/2022_report

Steve Regenstreif, Chair of DNC Senior Council wanted to share this News, “AARP Poll of 63 Most Competitive Congressional Districts Shows Older Voters Were the Deciders in 2022” with our Caucus following our November 18th Event: “Bridging the distance for democracy - Working collaboratively with Seniors Voices”

See: https://press.aarp.org/2022-11-17-AARP-Post-Election-Survey?campaign_id=56&emc=edit_cn_20221117&instance_id=77838&nl=onpolitics&regi_id=71450717&segment_id=113490&te=1&user_id=db533b450e94e182e48c7ace57cf642a

Republicans Threaten Social Security and Medicare 

Social Security and Medicare are the foundation of security for seniors, people on disabilities and families. Social Security provides guaranteed, inflation-adjusted earned benefits. Medicare provides assured access to care. Together, they are part of our national fabric. 

Yet, their future and our well-being are in danger from Republican candidates with plans to cut benefits, raise costs and even eliminate Social Security and Medicare altogether. Here are 5 warning signs about what could happen to our financial and health security if Republicans take control of Congress: higher costs, fewer benefits, greater risk. 

Warning #1: Every Republican in Congress voted against lowering prescription drug prices. 

Below you will find an EMAIL and a CALL script to use to contact your House Representative asking them to Sign the Discharge Petition to allow a House vote for HR.82. 

To contact your Representative, follow these steps:

1. Click here and enter the zip code where you last lived in the U.S. It will then display your Representative.
2. Check here for the House to see if your Representative has already co-sponsored the bill.
3. Customize the scripts below to email or call (better yet, do both!) to ask them to sign the Discharge Petition to allow a House vote for HR.82. 
4. Email [email protected] and say “Discharge Petition DONE" in the subject line to let us know that you contacted your Representative.
5. Optional: If they have already co-sponsored, write or call to thank them for their support! See that script below. 

Email

Subject line:  Need your support to repeal Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)

Dear Senator (Congressperson) _________,

I am respectfully asking for your committed support in passing H.R. 82 — the Social Security Fairness Act of 2021. The House is being blocked from voting on HR.82. I would like you to sign the Discharge Petition filed by Rodney Davis (IL) to allow the House to vote on HR.82.

My name is_________, I am a U.S. citizen who lives in (Country of Residence) and I vote in your district in (U.S. town and state you vote).  My Social Security benefits earned from my prior work history in the United States are being/will be unfairly reduced due to the Windfall Elimination Provision or WEP by the Social Security Amendments of 1983. 

As I am sure you are aware, WEP applies to most people who receive both a pension from non-covered work (including certain foreign pensions) and Social Security benefits based on fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings in SS covered employment or self-employment.

• Many retired Americans who live, or once lived abroad, have paid into Social Security. But they do not receive their full benefits or fair share of them from Social Security when they retire.
• WEP was meant to eliminate the advantage some workers received from overlapping full-retirement pensions supplemented by partial Social Security-covered employment. This is not the case with many people affected by WEP. 
• Also, some beneficiaries only learn of WEP after they have retired, and the reduced benefits substantially affect their and their family’s financial standing in later years.
• I am (will be) personally affected by these deductions (describe in what way), so this issue an important voting consideration for me when I vote by absentee ballot.

The problem that WEP was meant to resolve didn’t consider, in a fair and equitable way, the impact on overseas retirees. I ask for your support in finding a fair solution for all.

I hope that you can assure me that these bills will reach the floor for vote in this legislative session.  Please commit and give your urgent support in helping to pass HR.82 Social Security Fairness Act.

Respectfully,

(name of sender)

Voter in (Name your town again)  

If your Representative or Senator has already committed to supporting H.R. 82 thank them for their support.

Call 

Script to use to urge your House Representative to sign the Discharge Petition to allow a vote on HR.82 — the Social Security Fairness Act of 2021

Hello, I am a constituent who votes in [CITY/TOWN, STATE], but I am currently residing in and calling from [CITY, COUNTRY].  I was hoping to speak to the Senator/Representative or their staffer about the repeal of the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) that impacts your constituents like me who live outside the United States.

I am calling to ask Representative _____ to sign the Discharge Petition to allow a vote in the House on HR.82. 

[Personalize your message using ideas from this script]

I am an ordinary US citizen.  I moved to [Country] to [be with my partner/family/to take a job/other].  I am not wealthy. The complexity of investing for retirement due to double taxation of mutual funds and the unwillingness of banks in and outside the U.S. allowing pre-retirees to hold accounts and contribute to new investments, has left my pension funds lacking.

Most of the urgent need for WEP repeal has been focused on and sympathizing with retired public servants and teachers at home, even with their prior knowledge about WEP deductions on their future Social Security because of their non-covered pensions. 

But Americans living abroad often have worked at least part of their careers within the U.S. contributing to Social Security. Later, we entered the confusing and complicated environment of preparing for retirement while living abroad.

WEP applies to most people who receive both a pension from non-covered work (including certain foreign pensions) and Social Security benefits based on fewer than 30 years of substantial covered employment or self-employment earnings.  Spousal Social Security benefits are also unfairly eliminated due to WEP, making my family’s long-term financial stability more worrying.

The rules for WEP and the calculation for the deduction are complicated.  This leaves many retirees in the dark until they get the bad news that their paid-for benefits are being cut. Adding to this, the complexity of the Foreign Equalization Treaties and taxation of passive investing income affecting U.S. citizens abroad hinders us from properly preparing for our retirement.  Sometimes we can not even open a retirement account inside or outside the States for various reasons.

The current WEP law is punishing and unfair.  Can we expect to see the congress(wo)man endorse H.R.82 Social Security Fairness act of 2021?

I am (will be) personally affected by these WEP deductions, so this issue an important voting consideration for me, when I vote by absentee ballot. I hope that you can assure me that these bills will reach the floor for vote in this legislative session because American retirees living abroad are counting on you.

Thank you for your time listening to my concerns.

If your rep supports these bills:  I want to thank the Congress(wo)man for promising to support H.R. 82/S.1302 Social Security Fairness act of 2021.  I/My family relies on the security that my previously paid-in contributions provide for a secure future in my retired years.

If your rep does not support these bills:  I was incredibly disappointed to see that Congress(wo)man_____ has not committed to supporting H.R. 82/S.1302 Social Security Fairness Act of 2021, which would provide more fairness to the Social Security program and security for retired senior constituents in our district. 

Email OR Call Script to your legislative representative concerning repealing WEP.

To contact your Members of Congress, follow these steps:

1. Click here and enter the address where you last lived in the U.S.
2. It will then display your two Senators and your House Representative.
3. Check here for the House and here for the Senate if any of your Members of Congress have already co-sponsored the bill.
4. If your Members of Congress have not yet co-sponsored the bill, write or call (better yet, do both!) and ask them to co-sponsor the bill and to vote to pass the bill when it comes up for a vote. Be sure to ask your House Representative to co-sponsor bill number H.R. 82 and your Senators to co-sponsor S. 1302.
5. Email [email protected] and say "DONE" in the subject line to let us know that you contacted your Members of Congress.
6. Optional: If they have already co-sponsored, write or call to thank them for their support!

The Seniors Caucus supports the goals and ideals of the Democratic Party and Democrats Abroad, and urges us to vote in each election.

The Seniors Caucus was formed in January 2022 by a group of DA Seniors led by Betsy Ettore, and is growing stronger each month.

Our purpose is to form a community where we can inform our members, and help each other to better understand the issues and concerns affecting American Seniors living abroad, thereby building a forum for making our voices heard in Washington DC. Most importantly, we want to empower and encourage Senior Americans living abroad to exercise their voting rights.

We advocate for laws, policies, and programs that improve the lives of Senior Americans, and educate all people on the experiences of Seniors.

Our caucus is open to Democrats Abroad members of all ages.

Our Mission

• To support the goals and ideals of the Democratic Party and Democrats Abroad;
• To maximize the participation of Senior Americans living abroad in US elections;
• To advocate on issues of concern to Senior Americans, especially those living abroad;
• To be a voice for U.S. citizens living abroad;
• To support campaigns of Democratic candidates aligned with the interests of Seniors;
• To work with other teams, task forces and Caucuses within DA to further our joint goals.

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