The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-01-04
Information On
Social Security
Editors Note:

VI HuSoIioiio anu dIlSWeTS COllCcT1L1S
the Social Security Act. Questions of
readers should be sent to Edwin V.
Faulhaber manager, Social Security
Board field office, Erie Terminal build
ing, Youngstown, Ohio. The questions
will be answered through this column
or by personal mail, as desired.
Q.-Can husband and wife, both
of whom have worked in laundry,
both draw monthly benefits based on
their individual wages if they reach
65 and retire in 1910?
A.-They can. In such cases the
wife's benefit may be based on her own
average wages or it may be the usual
aged wife's benefit of one-half of the
benefit to which her husband is en-
titled on retirement, whichever is
larger.
Q.-John Smith, age 70, is employed
regularly by the Jones Manufacturing
Co. Smiths wages back to January
first of this year are now subject to
the old-age insurance contribution and
tax. Is the Jones Company respon-
sible for the payment of both the
workers contribution and the employ
er's tax for the entire year of 1889?
A.-Yes. AS Smith is still in the
company's service and the employer
has access to wages which Smith is
earning, the Jones Company is respon-
sible for these payments.
Q.-Harry Hawkins is graduated
from high school in January, 1910.
He is then 16 years of age and goes
to work in his fathers grocery store.
Is Harry's wage subject to oldage in
surance contribution and tax?
A.-No, wages paid to minor child
rem employed by their parents will
not be taxable under the amended Act.
Q.-Joe Johnson owns a filling
station. He employs three persons,
paying social security tax on all.
Johnson asks whether he may volun-
tarily come under the Social Security
Act and pay the tax on his own
wages. He is willing to pay the work
er's one per cent and the employers
one per cent additional in order to
have the protection of the old-age in
surance plan.
A.-This can not be done if John
son owns the business. If the business
were operated by a corporation and
Johnson received regular salary,
coverage would be possible. But there
is no way whereby self employed
individual can at this time come under
the Social Security Act.
Q.-Henry James plans to buy the
grocery store of Arthur Martin on
January l. Should James use the same
social security employers identified
ton number that Martin has been
using in paying the taxes which he
owes under the old-age insurance pro-
| gram.
A.-No. James should get new
employers identification number and
should use it in all his reports at the
time of paying taxes to the United
States collector of internal revenue.
x x X
This is another article in the series
of questions and answers relating to
the Social Security Act as amended
by the Congress earlier this year. In
dividual questions concerning the new
program will be answered if address
ed to Edwin V. Faulhaber, manager,
Social Security Board field office, Erie
Terminal building, Youngstown, Ohio.
Q-Can a person who is 60 years
of age, but who has retired from his
job, obtain old-age insurance benefits
after January l, 1910?
A.-No. A person must have reach
ed or passed age G5 in order to qualify
for these benefits.
GA man has worked all his life
on a farm. Is he eligible for such
benefits?
A.-No, farming is one of the oc-
cupations which is not covered by the
old-age and survivors insurance pro-
gram.
Q.-Is it necessary to submit proof
of age in claiming monthly benefits
following retirement in 1910?
Ayes, proof Of age is required.
A birth certificate is the best proof
Certain other old records such as
family Bibles, church records of bap-
tism, etc, may be accepted, but any
one who plans to seek benefits in 1910
should obtain birth certificate if pos
sible before fling his or her claim.
Q.-Can a husband and wife, both
of whom have been working in jobs
covered by the Social Security Act, ob
tain separate benefits?
A.-They can if their earnings and
work periods qualify them for these
benefits. Of course, both must have
attained age SO in order to obtain the
monthly benefit checks starting next
year.
GA man who is G5 retires in
January 1910, and is found to be en-
titled to monthly benefit check of
S28. In July of that year ne goes back
to work, earning $1O0 a month as
bookkeeper in a department store.
Will his benefits be paid while he is
thus employed?
A.-No, they will be suspended as
he is earning more than SIS a month
in employment covered by the Social
Security Act No benefits will be maid