If your elderly clients -- those receiving Medicare and Social Security benefits -- are inundating you

with questions about what to expect in the event of a government shutdown, tell them to fear not. If

they're already receiving benefits, they'll continue receiving them regardless of if or when the

government shuts down.

The continuing resolution (CR) that Congress enacted last December in order to fund government at

last year's spending levels expired March 4. Another CR for Fiscal Year 2011 was signed into law this

past week. Come March 18 when the latest CR expires, if the FY 2011 budget remains unresolved

and lawmakers aren’t willing to approve yet another CR, then most federal workers will be furloughed

without pay. That means the national parks and federal facilities will close. Passports and visas will not

be issued. New veteran's assistance and Social Security applications will go unanswered. Countless

government contractors will be idled. Basically, everything and anyone not related to national security

or safety of human life will be halted.

According to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, when the government shutdown the

last five days of 1995 and the first 21 days of 1996, some 800,000 federal workers were furloughed,

more than 350 national park service facilities were shuttered, the Center for Disease Control stopped

monitoring, the National Institute of Health didn't accept patients, and tens of billions of dollars worth of

government contracts (and contractors) went unpaid. So while it didn't spell the end of the world, it was

certainly chaotic and disruptive. And when it was all over, the government ended up paying contract

penalties as well as the furloughed federal workers for their time.

But don't worry: Uniformed members of armed services, the FBI, air traffic controllers, Transportation

Security Administration personnel and many others will be at work regardless of what happens come

March 4. And, of course, Social Security checks will be paid and Medicare will go forward.