Smyrna times., 1954-09-09
NEW CHANGES
IN S. S. ACT
New Amendments Will Af-
feet Virtually Every Fam
lily in Delaware
EXTENDS COvERAGE

The sweeping new amendments
10 the Social Security Act. signed
into law September 1, 1854 by
President Eisenhower, viii affect
virtually every family in Della
ware, according to Myron Mil
bouer, district manager of the
Social Security Administration.
The protection of old-age and
survivors insurance is now ex-
tended to 9 out of 10 families in
the community" Mr.. Milbouer
said, land the benefit payments,
not only to future benefIciaries
but also to those now on the rolls,
have been substantially increased.
In fact, it Immediately increases
the social security benefits to the
more than $4,000 persons in the
State now receiving monthly pay
ments from S670,o00 to $756, ,OOO",
he added.
The amended Social Security
Act also
/. Extends coverage, commenc-
ing January l, 1855, to about 10
million more gainfully-employed
people, including self-employed
farm operators and most farm
workers.
2. Increases benefits to all
present and future retired work
ers and to their dependents and
survivors.
8. Determines benefits on a
more advantageous basis by per-
uniting a worker to drop out as
many as five years of low or no
earnings in computing his aver
age wage, and by increasing to
$4,000 the amount Of annual
earnings that can be counted to-
ward benefits.
4. Preserves for totally dis
abled workers any benefit rights
they may have earned before they
became disabled and provides for
their referral to State agencies,
for rehabilitation services.
Permits employed and self-em-
p1oyed beneficiaries under age 72
to have earnings up to $1,000 in
a year without loss of social Sc
ciirity payments, starting with
1856. "a beneficiary 72 or over
viii be able to receive all his
payments regardless of the
amount he may be earning).
Mr.. Milbouer went on the ex-
plain that of the 10 million more
persons eligible for the protection
of old-age and survivors insur-
ance, approximately 6A million
will be brought into the system
ON January /, 1855. Another 3%
zariilion may elect coverage under
special arrangements.
The largest group of gainfully-
employed people in the nation not
heretofore covered by social Sc
ctirity has now been brought in
the 3.6 million seif-employed farm
operators. Commencing January
/, 1855, these farm operators will
be covered on the same terms
as other self-employed people, ex-
cept for provision which SIM
pMfies the reporting procedure for
farm operators with low annual
incomes.
Abolishing the old requirement
that farm workers be regularly
employed by one employer means
that over two million additional
farm employees viii have social
security protection for themselves
and their families. The new provi-
sion simply requires that the
farm hand be paid 500 cash
wages in calendar year by one
employer.
About 100000 more domestic
employees in private households
will be covered by the law be-
cause of the removal of the for
mer requirement that the .domes-
tic employee work "a days in
each calendar quarter in any one
household. Here the requirement
now is the payment of only $50
cash wages by one household en-
ployer in calendar quarter.
About 3,5o0,0o0 employees OF
State and local governments, ex-
ciuded up to now because they
are under retirement system,
may now be brought under social
security subject to referendum.
Ministers, whether employed or
self-employed, may come under
the law as IL they were self-em-
ployed persons. Included in this
provision are Christian Science
practitioners.
Other. self-employed groups to
be covered by social security as