Once again, the administration is playing ‘games’ with our military retirement…
The INTENDED consequences were that I and all other retired and active duty military personnel in all branches of military service would be taxed on thirteen months of pay (the thirteenth month was the January 02, 2012 pay that was received on December 31, 2011 and accounted as 2011 pay).
Count the days.
This increased my taxable income enough that part of my Social Security became taxable.
Wait!….What?
In case you did not know, Social Security IS taxable. Now you know about another democrat party lie.
To continue: this shifting of income from 2012 to 2011 put me in higher tax brackets. It also made part of my Social Security taxable which bumped me into yet another higher tax bracket.
The end result was an additional $251.00 in income taxes. This was effectively a reduction in pay of $251.00 for that “thirteenth month”.
That may not sound like much, but it is more than one month’s basic utilities (gas, water, and electric) for me.
How would you feel about that?
I have to admit I ‘missed’ this one, but Al’s point is VERY valid… $251 times how many retirees? That equals BIG $$…
Once again borne by the military!
You can read the whole post HERE…
Sigh… It just keeps getting better and better… NOT!
h/t Al
Pretty pathetic of the administration.
Yep, my wife caught that one too. Honestly, I didn’t join the military for the pay – God knows it was crap in ’68. Nor did I stay for the massive retirement years later (I had to wait until I was 60 since I ended up retiring out of the Air National Guard). I suspect I stayed for the same reason most lifers stay – a sense of duty.
I was hopeful that the nonsense of the 60s and the crappy treatment of vets and active duty was finally behind us, that congress and the American people had awakened.
Silly me. It’s about more than just retirement healthcare, retirement pay – it’s also about the shoddy treatment of the active duty folks as well. Once again we see the shucking of middle management, the cancellation of new weapons systems, the lack of repair for systems long past their prime.
Once again we see the willingness of America to so easily ignore and abandon their military. “it just costs so much money” rings in the air once again.
Heavy Sigh . . . . . Not that I have much energy on this whole topic . . . 🙂
I suspect it will remain like this until the “baloon goes up” for our grandkids – then the rush to arm, to man-up, to fill the ranks will begin anew.
Hard lessons sir, hard lessons.
Apparently, the successive administrations have long relied on the willingness of military folks (retirees included) to follow orders, or to put up with their crap without questioning.
I keep wondering what will happen when those same military folks start talking back; maybe it won’t be much longer, now.
Andy- Yeah, but not surprising, now that I think about it…
eia- Concur with all. dammit…
Rev- I don’t believe it will be either. And THEN it will get interesting…
We need to get that socialist tool out of the whitehouse ASAP.
ADM- Concur!
I can’t do anything but sympathize and vote/pray Obama out of office.
Treatment like this is par for the course. Administrations of both parties have always cut personnel costs in the military before moving on to any of the entitlement programs or government bloat.
Yep, I had to pay income tax on my SS payments for last year. I’m one of those EEEEVILE capitalist that saved into his 401K and got a pension. Now I’m just over the threshold for being taxed on SS.
Ed- Concur
DB- I know, but this was rather BLATENT… sigh
Crucis- Yep, heard that…
Bastards. Personally, I think any military pay should be tax free, but no one asks me.
I have friends that have already commented on this. This truly sucks. As far as SS benefits being taxed, I already knew that as I do my parents taxes. This first thing that came to my mind was WTF?!?!?!?
Tricare seems to be next on the hit parade.
Not right!!
With the Lightbringer and fellow travelers at the wheel of state, who is surprised?
Jenn- There was actually a move afoot a few years ago in certain states (like Virginia) to only tax military retirements and not federal employee retirements…
Keads- It is, first they were going to kick us out at 65 into Medicare/Medicaid but that got killed, now they are looking at charging us up to $1100 year for basic care.
agirl- Nope, but are you really surprised???
WSF- Nothing else… sigh