The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1939-04-15
PROOF Of AGE
NECESSITY FOR
SOC. SECURITY
0Id-Age Benefits Cannot
Be Paid Without Ex-
act Information


Inaccuracy in giving ones age
when applying for social security
account number may delay the ply
ment of old-age insurance benefits
when the time comes to make a
claim. Hugh j.. Wade, Territorial
Director of the Social Security
Boards office at Juneau. is inform
ing insured workers.
Under the Social Security Act
Wade explained, "old-age benefits
are not payable until IS, except in
the case OF death, when a lump-sum
payment is made to the wage earner's
relatives or estate. Proof of age is
required of those. who file claims
for the single cash payments made
to workers now reaching IS. provided
the claim is for more than $500
Proof will probably be required from
all workers claiming the regular re-
tirement annuities scheduled to be-
gin in 1912
M Want Exact Date
The Social Security Board must
therefore know the exact date of a
workers birth before it approves his
claim. If the age, as stated when the
claim is presented, does not tally
with the birth date which was given
in the application for a social Sec
urity account number, complications
may arise, so that the worker may
have to wait before his claim can
be paid. -
In handling the records of the
42-odd million men and women who
have already applied for social Sec
urity account number, the Bureau
of Old-Age Insurance has found
evidence that not everyone has ex-
ercised proper care in stating age
on his application. Probably the
most frequent reason for misstate-
ment has been fear ON the part of
some workers that they would lose
their jobs if, in some way, their em-
ployers should learn their real age
from the information given. Re-
ports of the Bureau of Old-Age In
slrance indicate that workers have
rapidly come to accept the Board S
repeated assurances that the infor-
nation given 1t by the employee
will under no circumstances be pas
sed on to the employer. Many peo-
pie, realizing the later difficulties
which may result from inaccurate
age statements, have sent the Board
further information and asked that
their records be corrected The
Board is prepared to make such
corrections on request from the ac-
count number holder.
Proof To Be Simple
Wade stated that the Board also
wishes to make proof of age at The
time a benefit claim is filed as
simple as is consistent with business
like procedure. Its experience to
date in the settlement of lump-sum
claims indicates that most peo-
pie will have little difficulty in pro-
ducing evidence that will be ac-
cepted by the Board as proof of their
age declarations. sts
1t was explained that acceptable
evidence may be obtained from a
wide variety of sources. The Board
will accept as unquestionable proof !;
First, copy of birth certificate;
second, copy of an infant baptis-
NAL certificate; and third, the sworn
statement of two persons, such as a
physician and nurse, who have
personal knowledge of the date of
birth. Recognizing that in many
cases it is virtually impossible for
older people to obtain such primary
evidence, the Board has provided
for the submission of secondary evil
dence. 1t has ruled that when the
applicant for benefits explains in
writing that such, evidence cannot
be obtained without great difficulty
and considerable expense, other evil
dence will be considered, In general,
documents or copies of documents of
many types showing that individu-
ais age may be submitted, If dated
prior to August IA. 1935---Lhe date
of the signing of the Social Security
Act. Much evidence of this sort will
be accepted by the Board, especially
when supported by supplementary
material.
Must Make Search.
For example, the birth record IN
the old family Bible may be brought
forward, or search of old school
records may reveal the workers
birth date as recorded in those
years before he felt the desirability
of lowering his age by year or two.
Even If man or woman is unable
to locate any of these records dat
ing his childhood, other possibilities
remain. Almost everyone can get
copies of age statements made at
the time of joining some fratemal,
civic, or religious society, or when
ha tool ont ipc,,ropoa ohtainad q