Social Security Agreement With Mexico Released After 3 1/2 Year Freedom of Information Act Battle

Yahoo ^ | 12/29/06 | Yahoo

[WatchingInAmazement]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After numerous refusals over three and a half years, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has released the first known public copy of the U.S.-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement. The government was forced to make the disclosure in response to lawsuits filed under the Freedom of Information Act by TREA Senior Citizens League, a 1.2 million-member nonpartisan seniors advocacy group.

The Totalization Agreement could allow millions of illegal Mexican workers to draw billions of dollars from the U.S. Social Security Trust Fund.

The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico was signed in June 2004, and is awaiting President Bush's signature. Once President Bush approves the agreement, which would be done without Congressional vote, either House of Congress would have 60 days to disapprove the agreement by voting to reject it.

"The Social Security Administration itself warns that Social Security is within decades of bankruptcy -- yet, they seem to have no problem making agreements that hasten its demise," said Ralph McCutchen, Chairman of the TREA Senior Citizens League.

The U.S. currently has 21 similar agreements in effect with other nations, which are intended to eliminate dual taxation for persons who work outside their country of origin. All of the agreements are with developed nations with economies similar to that of the U.S.

For example, a worker who turns 62 after 1990 generally needs 40 calendar quarters of coverage to receive retirement benefits. Under totalization agreements, workers are allowed to combine earnings from both countries in order to qualify for benefits. The Agreement with Mexico, like other totalization agreements, would allow workers to qualify with just six quarters, or 18 months, of U.S. coverage.

But Mexico's retirement system is radically different than that of other participating countries. For example, only 40 percent of non-government workers participate in Mexico's system, whereas 96 percent of America's non- government workers do. In addition, the U.S. system is progressive, meaning lower wage earners get back much more than they put in; in Mexico, workers get back only what they put in, plus accrued interest.

"I applaud the persistent efforts of TREA Senior Citizens League to try to get documents from the U.S. Government about the U.S.-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement," said Rep. Walter Jones (news, bio, voting record) (R-N.C.). "The American people are finally beginning to get some of the information regarding this Agreement that they have been seeking for so long."

According to the SSA, the Social Security Trust Fund will begin paying out more than it is taking in by 2017, and will be exhausted by the year 2040.

With 1.2 million members, TREA Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Visit http://www.SeniorsLeague.org for more information or to see the Totalization Agreement documents.

SOURCE TREA Senior Citizens League

[WatchingInAmazement]

Oops, but I forgot, you Watchin are not for any reform of your beloved Ponzi scheme.

Oh, is that what this ugly beast is, Social Security reform?? LOL!!! Dane, you're priceless. Well, thank your oligarch friends in Mexico for saving Social Security for us.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

This makes me so damned mad. What the hell is wrong with W's brain ?

[VOA]

Robbery-in-progress bump

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yup. To jack SS coverage from the first $90,000 to the first $150,000 will mean an extra $5,000 in extra taxes.

[Thermalseeker]

Both the agreement itself and the attempt to maintain secrecy are shocking and a betrayal of the citizens of the US.

One of many in recent years.....

[Dane]

Actually you are taking a Yahoo/AP colums and using it to whip up xenophobic hatred.

Notice how the Yahoo/AP article does not mention any of the reforms that Bush proposed to the now current Ponzi scheme.

But you can be the liberal MSM's lackey, that's your right.

[CPT Clay]

bs

[Dick Bachert]

No surprises here, gang.

If the U.S. IS to be blended into the New World Order being fashioned for us by the utopian elites, we must be leveled out with even the lowest Turd World hellhole.

This is simply a step toward that goal.

So, what are YOU doing about it??

[deport]

The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico was signed in June 2004, and is awaiting President Bush's signature. Once President Bush approves the agreement, which would be done without Congressional vote, either House of Congress would have 60 days to disapprove the agreement by voting to reject it.

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The above from the original posted article......

Has this thing been signed by the President? I can't find anything on google indicating signed or not signed..... The below article doesn't indicate the President must sign it like the posted artilce above does...

So is this in effect or still pending?

	This is an archival or historical document and may not reflect current policies or procedures
	UNITED STATES/MEXICO TOTALIZATION AGREEMENT June 2004 (Printer Friendly Version) (Aquí en Español)

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Totalization

• Since the late 1970’s, the U.S. has established international social security agreements that coordinate the U.S. Social Security program with the comparable programs of other countries.

• These international social security agreements are called “totalization agreements” and have two main purposes:

  • Eliminate dual social security taxation that occurs when a worker from one country works in another country and is required to pay social security taxes to both countries on the same earnings. As a result of existing totalization agreements, U.S. workers and employers currently are saving about $800 million annually in foreign taxes they do not have to pay.

  • Help fill gaps in benefit protection for workers who have divided their careers between the U.S. and another country, but who have not worked long enough in one or both countries to qualify for social security benefits. With totalization, workers are allowed to combine work credits from both countries to become eligible for benefits. The benefit amount paid is proportional to the amount of credits earned in the paying country.

An agreement with Mexico

• An agreement with Mexico would save U.S. workers and their employers about $140 million in Mexican social security and health insurance taxes over the first 5 years of the agreement.

• An agreement would also fill the gaps in benefit protection for U.S. workers who have worked in both countries, but not long enough in one or both countries to qualify for benefits.

• Mexico is the second largest trading partner with the U.S. Agreements are already in effect with Canada, the largest trading partner with the U.S., and 19 other countries.

• With Mexico, the U.S. now has signed agreements with eight of its top ten trading partners. Many of these agreements have been in effect for nearly two decades. The two exceptions are China and Taiwan. By law, the U.S. could not enter into agreements with these two countries because they do not have generally applicable social security systems that pay periodic benefits or the actuarial equivalent.

Costs of an agreement with Mexico

• Social Security actuaries estimate that a totalization agreement with Mexico would have a negligible long-range effect on the Trust Funds.

• Costs to the U.S. Social Security system are estimated to average about $105 million per year over the first five years. These costs are for additional benefits to eligible U.S. and Mexican workers and reduced Social Security tax contributions under the dual taxation exemption.

• To put this in perspective, in 2002, costs to the U.S. system for the existing agreement with Canada were about $197 million.

Effective date of an agreement with Mexico

• In the United States, once the agreement is signed, the President will submit the agreement to Congress where it must sit in review for 60 session days. If Congress takes no action during this time, the agreement can move forward.

• In Mexico, once the agreement is signed, the Mexican Senate must approve it.

Countries already having totalization agreements with the U.S.

• The United States currently has Social Security agreements with Canada, Chile, South Korea, Australia and most of Western Europe.

  Country	Effective Date	Country	Effective Date
  Italy	November 1, 1978	Portugal	August 1, 1989
  Germany	December 1, 1979	Netherlands	November 1, 1990
  Switzerland	November 1, 1980	Austria	November 1, 1991
  Belgium	July 1, 1984	Finland	November 1, 1992
  Norway	July 1, 1984	Ireland	September 1, 1993
  Canada	August 1, 1984	Luxembourg	November 1, 1993
  United Kingdom	January 1, 1985	Greece	September 1, 1994
  Sweden	January 1, 1987	South Korea	April 1, 2001
  Spain	April 1, 1988	Chile	December 1, 2001
  France	July 1, 1988	Australia	October 1, 2002

• More detailed information about these totalization agreements can be found at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/international/.

(Toll-Free) 800-772-1213	www.socialsecurity.gov	(Toll-Free) TTY 800-325-0778

	Privacy Policy | Website Policies & Other Important Information | Site Map	Need Larger Text?

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Other info on Totalization agreements.......

U.S. International Social Security Agreements

[Mr. Jeeves]

Ours is now a system not accountable to anyone. It operates under its own self-directed tyranny.

In a way, it's a relief. The system has now passed the point where We The People can do anything to correct these kinds of abuses, so it's best not to get worked up over them and to focus instead on being a "point of light" witin your own small sphere of influence, among your family and friends.

But your point about Iraq is absolutely correct. Sadly, the rest of the world seems to have a better view of our shortcomings than we do. Too many Americans still believe we are run by the mythical "nice guys" that won WWII and saved the world from tyranny, when in reality we were taken over by our own tyrants long ago - ones who don't mind that we citizens make money and drive SUV's, as long as they can tax us and we don't pay close attention to their corruption. ;)

[driftdiver]

"I wonder if the above statement really upsets many writers on FreeRepublic. For years they have been anti SS benefits."

I would love to have the money that I've paid into SS so I could invest it.

SS is unstable in concept. It was ok when the retirement age was 65 and most working adults died by 62. Now the numbers of collectors will soon outweight the payers. While I can see a need for those that are crippled or otherwise unable to work. Why should I pay for you to sit on your butt in retirement? You had just as much opportunity to save money as I will have. If you don't bother to save then explain why I should buy your three squares and a cot?

On top of that now we will be paying for every illegal who was in the country. How much corruption will there be in that? They were illegal so the documentation doesnt exist to begin with. Now they want SS for the taxes they dont pay.

This has been sneaking thru the govt for years so obviously someone in the system has been bought and paid for. Time to start shooting people for treason.

[Dane]

Actually this "article" is a PR Newswire concoction.

Funny Watching that you left out the fact that this "article" is a press release for a lobbying group.

[deport]

Other info on Totalization agreements.......

U.S. International Social Security Agreements

[Iwo Jima]

Would Bush actually sign this???

From the article: "Once President Bush approves the agreement, which would be done without Congressional vote, either House of Congress would have 60 days to disapprove the agreement by voting to reject it."

Bush would sign it, and he will sign this once the new Congress is in place. He could not sign it before because Congress would have disapproved it. But NOW THAT BUSH HAS THE CONGRESS THAT HE WANTS -- a Democratic Congress -- he can safely sign the agreement confident that his conservative Republican opponents can't do anything about it.

[television is just wrong]

So the reason we are being told we are not receiving SS benefits when AMERICANS reach 65, is because MEXICANS are receiving our benefits???

Cheap labor is not so cheap and is growing more expensive every day.

[Thermalseeker]

So, do you want Mexicans staying here to collect Social Security they have earned, or wouold you rather they went home when they want to?

If they entered this country illegally to work they should not be entitled to one red cent! Play by the rules, all of them, or get out. (with no taxpayer paid bennies)

[Lancey Howard]

This makes me sicker.

[WatchingInAmazement]

Actually you are taking a Yahoo/AP colums and using it to whip up xenophobic hatred.

I realize this isn't as good a source as you use, Dane, maybe you can pull us up something from LULAC or Chavez.

From your SS admin.

http://www.ssa.gov/immigration/

Welcome to the United States and to Social Security! Whether you are a student or a teacher, a farmworker or a businessperson, a refugee or a temporary resident, if you are an immigrant, you have come to the right place. If English is not easy for you, ask us to find interpreters to help you. See our rules for people you choose to interpret for you. Use our Fax Catalog to order information over the phone and check out the Multi-Language Gateway website for Social Security information in 15 languages. We're here to help you.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a new process for noncitizens to apply for Social Security number (SSN) cards as part of the immigration process. Now, people age 18 and older applying for immigrant visas with the U.S. Department of State can also apply for SSN cards at the same time.

_____________

United States/Mexico Totalization Agreement

... SSA logo: link to Social Security Online home UNITED STATES/MEXICO TOTALIZATION AGREEMENT. June 2004 (Printer Friendly Version) (Aquí en Español). ... www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/factsheets/USandMexico.htm