Easily get replacement Social Security tax forms online

 Tax time is fast approaching. Preparing your documents can seem overwhelming. Some forms and paperwork might be difficult to track down. Social Security has made it easy to track down your annual Benefit Statement.

An SSA-1099, or your annual Benefit Statement, is a tax form Social Security mails each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits received from Social Security in the previous year so people know how much Social Security income to report to the IRS on their tax return. You should receive your SSA-1099 by January 31, 2017.

For noncitizens that live outside of the United States and received or repaid Social Security benefits last year, we will send form SSA-1042S instead. The forms SSA-1099 and SSA-1042S are not available for people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

If you currently live in the United States and need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, we have a way for you to get an instant replacement quickly and easily. Go online and request an instant replacement form with a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. The online replacement form was available beginning February 1, 2017. Every working person in the U.S. should create a my Social Security account. The secure and personalized features of my Social Security are invaluable in securing a comfortable retirement — for today and tomorrow.

Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan.  You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov.

WHY REINVENT THE WHEEL? I am puzzled why our leaders are beating their gums (again) to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and tighten the immigration laws when they do not have any valid replacement for either.

Why not replace the ACA with increased Medicare and improve the immigration laws with increased vetting for prospective citizens.

President Trump promised to “drain the swamp” of Washington D.C. Most of us took that to mean the entrenched political establishment and lobbyist that have a hammerlock on the taxpayer’s money would get flushed out (of office). So far, the flushing is threatening to drown the folks that need the help the most.

We have government departments that already deliver a health care product and regulate immigration. Why not make them better and improve the product instead of trying to reinvent it.

MOSTLY AGREE WITH YOU… I have had that comment more than a few times writing this column.

The point is agreement is not nearly as important as the discourse on any particular subject.

What makes our country great is the agreement to disagree and to allow others their own opinion.

The next step after the great debate of a subject is working together to come to a consensus that works for all.

Perhaps it is not our opinions that need work, it is accepting others.

MY FAVORITE IMMIGRANT… whenever the discussion turns to immigration, someone always points out “we were all immigrants at one time” (including Native Americans).

That is so if you go back far enough. My mom’s family of German and Scottish stock landed somehow in the plains, the generations probably mingled with some Native Americans and settled throughout Iowa and Minnesota. By the time my mom met my dad before WWII her family was American, no longer considered immigrants.

My dad’s immigration is a bit more straightforward. As a child, he was deported from the land of his birth because his parents were German.

His dad was sent to a British concentration camp on the Isle of Mann because the English were afraid he would fight for the Kaiser. Tens of thousands of Germans living in England were imprisoned, their homes and businesses seized and their families deported. My dad’s mother, with four babies was sent to Germany. Grandma Bayer was not heartily welcomed by her family there because she had four “English brats” in tow.

In 10 years, the family was in the States and was naturalized citizens. When WWII broke out in 1939, my parents were already married with six kids and living near Detroit. Both were working in war plants as inspectors. When Dad was drafted, he was given a deferment because he had so many kids… now at seven.

It was not always easy for Dad, his accent identified him as a German, even with his security clearance, and he was subject to discrimination and abuse. His car tires were slashed. NAZI was scratched on the fenders. He was threatened and punched by his fellow Americans.

Even after the war, he was sometimes discriminated for being German.

But he never gave up. Never quit working to raise his family… eventually Chris and Margaret had 13 children. Dad always loved America. I remember the Thanksgiving dinner right after Kennedy was shot. After grace… he said, “God bless our beloved president and God bless America.”

Our country needs to continually refresh that pioneer and adventuresome spirit that settled this land, that developed it and that provided new ideas.

We need to develop new ways to welcome and allow immigrants to continue that tradition.

WINTER RESPITE… even as we have had a reasonably fair winter so far, the past few days of sunshine and balmy temperatures were a real treat.

Sunday I managed to get down to Hays Park and walk along the Paw Paw River. The river is high and colored so I did not see any steelhead lurking near the holes. I do not doubt there is some in there.

With these days of bright sunshine, those beauties will be on the gravel beds.

Just do not put up the snow shovels and boots anytime soon. Michigan is Mother Nature’s winter playground, it is a safe bet there is more snow time to come before the daffodils and tulips bloom for good.

33 YEARS AND COUNTING… with all the events cooking the past months, starting with the arrival of Baby William, the holidays and Anne’s successful hip surgery the advent of February slipped right on by.

February 1 is a significant day as our first in 1984 as publishers of the Watervliet Record (subsequently the name changed to Tri-City Record). It is surprising how fast time flies (especially when you are having fun).

I have to say I have had fun most all the days since my arrival 33 years ago; it is just that some days are more fun than others.

Sunday, February 12 was such a day. The occasion was the 25th birthday of granddaughter Karlianne.

Even though she was born on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, her love of life, beauty and infectious laugh makes her more of a Valentine’s child than of the greatest president.

So it was this February 12, family and friends were ensconced in the new dining room at the Friendly Tavern when she walked in with her friend Tyler. She was very surprised (to tears) with the reception. Even the other guests, not in on the party plans, joined in wishing her a happy birthday.

Nice to see the sunshine

Living in upstate New York we discovered new dimensions of winter drearies. Philadelphia had been tolerable; North Carolina had been a breeze, but in Oswego County we sometimes had many weeks without seeing any sun at all. Gray skies dominated. Lake effect snows from Lake Ontario were a constant threat in our area, and it was not unusual to have significant snowfall in one night. Cars cleaned of snow in the PM looked like huge marshmallows by the AM!

It has not been quite like that in Michigan. But we do have our share of gray skies, making it very refreshing to see the sunshine again. Bright, sunny days in New York or in Michigan seem to lift everyone’s spirits. Full-spectrum lighting can help in the meantime, but sunshine is what we really need.

Little victories in world peace are like full spectrum lighting compared to the real sunshine of the future reign of Jesus Christ. We are getting tired of the gray skies results of our persistent efforts to resolve conflicts of all sorts. What we need is some sunshine.

The Bible teaches that there will be some fake sunshine before we see the real thing however. The “antichrist” will come first and convincingly fool many into thinking he is the real guacamole. But he will not be. His power will be short-lived, devastating and against the true Light of the world. Matthew 24 and Revelation 13 give some insights about this.

Ultimately we will see real sunshine again – when the real Jesus Christ returns at the end of the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30), victorious at Armageddon (Revelation 19), to usher in earth’s final Millennium.

Meanwhile we need to keep sharing the true light in a cloudy world, pointing everyone to the new “Sonrise” coming.

Trump’s executive order is un-American, unethical and counter-productive

Dear Editor,

I am fortunate to have been raised in Southwest Michigan. After graduating from Saint Joseph Public High School, I was lucky enough to attend Western Michigan University while serving as a reservist in the U.S. Marine Corps, an experience which gave me the opportunity to learn Arabic, to live in Egypt on several occasions, and to critically consider America’s role in the world.

During my time living in the Middle East countless people there–both Muslim and Christian–have expressed to me their admiration for the religious inclusiveness of the American dream. It is a unique concept and it is part of what makes this country exceptional. This religious tolerance endows the United States with a degree of influence and appeal in countries across the globe, often in spite of sharp cultural and political differences. As highlighted by the widespread reaction to the Trump Administration’s recent executive order on immigration, the policies put forth in the order suffer from serious moral, legal, and strategic flaws. Legally, the President’s contention that non-Muslims will be given preference for entry into the U.S. amounts to an unconstitutional de facto ban on Muslims from seven Muslim-majority countries. By effectively excluding a class of people based on their religion–many of who are fleeing the unfathomable terror of war–this executive order weakens the foundation of the American dream. Strategically, the order undermines our reputation as a nation of immigrants that draws strength from diversity–one of the foundations of American “soft power”.

The President’s order also seriously undermines our counterterrorism efforts in the Middle East, and may serve to bolster Iran’s influence across the region. Iraq is a prime example of the potential blowback. In response to Trump’s executive order, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution demanding a ban on Americans entering Iraq. Several of Iraq’s most powerful militias–many of who are sponsored by Iran–have already called for the expulsion of American troops and intelligence personnel from the country if Trump’s order is enforced or expanded. The U.S. and Iran have long been locked in a battle for influence in the region, and the expulsion of U.S. troops and intelligence assets in Iraq would ultimately serve Iran’s interests. There is a risk of similar blowback in other Middle Eastern countries, such as Yemen and Syria, where Iran already exercises significant influence. In these countries, Muslim forces closely cooperate with the U.S. to counter Iranian influence, and combat common enemies like al Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State.

While a retaliatory ban on U.S. personnel in these countries is unlikely at the moment, such a scenario would have disastrous consequences for U.S. counterterrorism efforts. If our military and intelligence personnel were expelled from these countries in retaliation for Trump’s order, not only would the U.S. be unable to conduct “extreme vetting” of immigration applicants, but it would be impossible to maintain the liaison relationships upon which our counterterrorism strategy depends. One of the most crucial components of the fight against terror is the extensive network of trust-based liaison relationships between U.S. military and intelligence officers, and their local counterparts. These partners, most of whom identify as Muslim, risk their lives alongside our soldiers and intelligence personnel every day to help us gather intelligence and target enemies like the so-called Islamic State and al Qaeda. By portraying our most crucial Muslim allies in the fight against terror in the same light as our enemies, President Trump’s executive order undermines the trust on which these crucial liaison relationships are based.

Furthermore, this order plays directly into the narrative of extremists like al Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. Groups like these have long sought to convince the world that Muslims in the West, based solely on their religious identity, could never be anything but second class citizens. In the eyes of these groups, this order seems to confirm that. Indeed, many supporters of the so-called Islamic State have praised the order as a validation of their extremist narrative. American pluralism has been one of the greatest ideological challenges to the terrorist narrative. To the extent that Trump’s order undermines the diverse, pluralist foundation of American democracy, it plays directly into the hands of those who seek to do us harm.

While Trump’s executive order was temporarily halted in federal court this week, the administration has said that it may appeal the ruling or attempt to rewrite the order. It is possible that key parts of the order could ultimately be upheld based on the broad executive authority granted to the President over matters of national security and immigration. Yet, even if the Supreme Court validates the order’s legality, the essence of the order will remain un-American, unethical, and counter-productive. Because this order will only serve to degrade our values, bolster the influence of our adversaries, and undermine the fight against terror, it should be repealed immediately.

Matthew Lester

Democrats must insist on a 60 vote threshold for Gorsuch

Dear Editor,

The U.S. constitution specifies that when there is an opening on the Supreme Court, it is the president’s responsibility to nominate a replacement and the senate’s responsibility to “advice and consent” – that is, to hold hearings and then vote to either affirm or reject that nominee.

On February 13, 2016, Justice Antonin Scalia died, creating an opening on the Supreme Court. President Obama upheld his responsibility by nominating a distinguished judge, Merrick Garland, to fill the vacant position. The Republican-controlled Senate, however, refused to uphold its constitutional responsibility to advice and consent. They refused to hold hearings and they refused to vote to either affirm or reject Judge Garland.

Now President Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill that Supreme Court opening. What should Democratic senators do? “To filibuster or not to filibuster, that is the question.” All Democratic senators must ask this question and in the end the answer must be a unanimous YES!

There should be tough questioning in Judicial Committee hearings on all of Judge Gorsuch’s positions, especially those pertaining to First Amendment rights (commitment to freedom of the press, protecting the rights of people of all faiths or no faith, and protection of LGBT rights), civil rights, and voter rights. Then, when full vetting has taken place, Democrats must filibuster to force a 60% vote on this nominee.

This course of action follows standard Senate rules, unlike the egregious manner in which the Republican leadership ignored Obama’s nominee. McConnell and his Republican allies rejected Judge Merrick Garland without so much as a Judicial Committee hearing, and essentially stole this appointment.

Our country deserves a 60 vote threshold for approving this Supreme Court nominee. If Neil Gorsuch can get 60 votes he should be approved; if not, he should be rejected.

Melissa Clapper, Benton Harbor

Valentine love letter to Bainbridge Township

To Bainbridge Twp. officials,

Your municipality is full of beauty and it is held in beautiful places – the fields, the farm rows, the ponds, the streams, the forests and the marshes and wetlands. These areas provide habitat for many families of God’s creatures.

You may have noticed some of them while you were outside. Even if you only walked outside to get your mail, or get in your car or, even, just go to your picture window in your home and check out the weather.

You may spot the many and various birds that come to visit and feed. They may sing for you, or you may hear them calling for their mate, or see a mother tending her babies in the nest that both she and her mate built.

Rabbits, raccoons, possums, owls, squirrels, shrews, crayfish, toads, frogs of all sorts including spring peepers in the trees, pheasants and chicks in the road ditches, turtles of assorted varieties, herons, hummingbirds, dragonflies, spiders, butterflies of so many varieties of colors and shapes (can be seen). If you are in the field of grass you may see a fox or coyote or a big buck, the doe, or the fawns that hide and wait for their mother to return home to them.

You may walk the rolling hills in the morning as you begin your work and look to the eastern horizon and see a glorious sunrise. You may even utter a prayer as you are reminded of the earth’s beauty. At evening tide you may look westerly in summer or southwesterly in the winter and see a bright orange and red sunset. Other days it may be pink or purplish.

It is usually beautiful, especially in the summertime, while your crops are reaching maturity, unless interrupted by a display of lightning and thunder accompanied by a heavy rain. The rain may ruin a few human plans but, the earth and plants that were thirsty and dusty welcome it.

As the rain dries up or flows into the streams, marshes, wetland and ponds, the crops complete their life cycle. The harvest is ready. Each crop has produced its fruit in its time. You reap what you sow. Also, as the cycle begins again you will sow what you shall reap.

Bainbridge Township is beautiful just the way it is, naturally beautiful.

Remember that the natural world which is full of resources needs to be cared for and stewarded. Care for it, as the mother bird does care for her chicks or the doe cares for the fawns: Protecting and cherishing what is their future.

Sincerely yours,

Joan McGrath Hart

Benton Harbor