The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-10-29
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DUE
WORKERS
Old Age Insurance Money Lying Un-
claimed In Treasury

United States Treasury because those
to whom the money now due under
the old-age insurance provisions of
the Social Security Act have not filed
claims for the amount due them,
Luther Becker, Manager Of the Bal
timore Field Office of the Social Sec
urity Board, which serves this area,
said today.
A large number Of workers In
covered employment who have reach
ed IS since January /, 1887, and the
estates or relatives of eligible work
ers who have died since December
81, 1886. apparently are unaware
the Social Security Board is making
lump-sum payments now to those
eligiable persons who file claims, Mr..
Becker said.
"The same situation which exists
in this section seems to exist
throughout the country, inasmuch
as up to August l the number of
claims filed throughout the country
for lump-sum payments totalled only
fraction of the 100000 lump-sum
payments actuarial experts estimat-
ed would fall due during the cal
endar year of 1887.
"In Region w, comprising Mary
land, the District of Columbia, North
Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
there have been LIP claims filed
to date. This is only part of the
number the Social Security Board
believes are due and would pay If
those eligible filed claims.
There have been SOL claims filed
in Maryland of which number the
Baltimore Field Office has accounted
for Ais. The number of claims fl
ed in other States in Region Nv, up
to the end of September, are: Dis
trict of Columbia, ISL; North Caro-
lima, $50; and West Virginia, 1872.
at is probable that many persons
to whom lump-sum payments are due
have not filed claims because they
do not know the Social Security
Board is making payments now. They
may be confused by the wide notice
given the fact that payments of
monthly old-age benefits will not
begin before January 1912.
Another reason may be that the
sums due to many persons are
small. The lump-sum payments of
amounts to 8 " percent of the total
wages of the eligible worker. For
example: Suppose wages totalled
$1,000; the IN percent lump-sum
payment would be $35; If wages
totalled 500 the 3 N percent lump
sum payment would be $3.50. Many
workers seem doubtful about what is
meant by total wages Total wag-
es, under the Act, means the sum
of all the wages paid by all employ
ers for all the time an employee
worked in covered employment after
December 81, 1886, and prior to
death OF reaching IS, not counting
wages over $4,000 from any one en-
ployer. Naturally the lump-sum
payment due man who reached 65
on January 8, after being paid for
one working day, will not be as
great as the amount due to men who
received an equal daily wage every
working day since last December 81
till now.
,"Yet another reason many eligible
persons have not filed claims seems
to be they do not know they are
eligible. Lump-sum payments are
now due to two groups Of persons:
First, to the worker himself who
has reached So since January /,
1887, and who has been paid wages
for work done as an employee since
December 81, 1886, and before he
reached IS, in any employment
which is not specifically excepted
under the old-age benefits provisions
of the Act.
Second, to the estate or relatives
of a worker, no matter what his age,
who has died since December 81,
1886, provided the deceased worker
had been paid wages for work done
as an employee, after December 81,
1886, and before he reached IS, in
employment which is not specifically
excepted under the old-age benefit
provisions of the Act.
Every assistance will be given by
the Baltimore Field Office of the Soc
ial Security Board to those who in
quire about payments or wish to file
claims"