Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-11-11

According to David Platky, So
cial Security field representative
for Montgomery County, zone of
the most significant provisions of
the 1854 amendments to the So
cial Security Act for residents of
Montgomery County was the ex-
tension of coverage to farm op-
orators and farm hands"
Farm hands, in addition to
farmers, will be entitled to bene.
fits for themselves on retirement
Sgr for their families on death
because "the regularity of en-
ployment test has been elimin-
ated, and the sole requirement
is that the farm hand receive
$500 per year in cash wages from
one farmer"
But social security is not auto
matte. Farmers must report their
own earnings and those of the
farm hands they employ if eth
er group is to qualify for bene-
fits. For this reason rural per-
sons who believe they qualify are
asked to contact Mr.. Platky at
Room 226 County Office Build
ing, Rockville, from 10 am. on
every Wednesday.
According to Mr.. Platky:
'"ThoSe that are being covered
for the first time would probably
like to know more about what
social security is and what it
would mean to them. For the
farm employee it is important to
know that he will be earning So
cial security every time he is
paid $100 or more in cash wages
by a farm employer for whom he
works. For the farm operator it
ris important to know that every
year in which he nets in excess
of $500 he will have social Sc
curity protection.
Through his tax contributions
on his covered cash wages or
seIf-employment income, he earns
his rights to monthly old-age in
surance payments for himself and
his dependents in his later years
and to his family if he should
die after working a certain
amount of time in jobs that are
covered by social security.
I'm general, the amount of
time required in work under the
social security program is from
one and a half years to 10 years.
The amounts of the payments to
himself and his family is not,
however, determined by the
amount of time that he has been
in covered work. The amount OF
the monthly check payable to
himself and his dependents or
to his survivors is based on his
average monthly wage.
~ "This average is figured by
wadding all of his earnings in work
covered by the social security
program and then divided by the
number of months that have
elapsed between 1850 and the
time he reaches age 65 or dies.
However, since he is coming I'M
der the program for the first
time beginning January 1855, the
fact that the years 1851 through
1854 will show no earnings for
him. will not place him at a dis
advantage. There is a provision
in the new law which will en-
able the Social Security Admin
istration to disregard those four
years in which he had no earn
ings to his credit.
This provision along with 9TH
ers written into the new law will
result in future benefits to him
and his family. It is estimated
xthat benefits payable to surviving
$widows with two young children
could total more than $35, 5000 over
a period of years if the farmer
or farm worker averaged as high
as $500 a month.
$50 much for the possible bene.
fits for the farmer and his fam
lily in his old-age or in the event
of his death. There is also a
change in the law in regard to
the amount of earnings which an
individual may have after he has
retired and which also effects the
survivors who may be receiving
benefits. Under the present law
an individual is not entitled to a
benefit check for any month in
which he renders substantial
services in selfemployment or
works for wages in excess of SIS
a month.
"The new provision of the 1854
amendments provides that an in.
dividual may earn up to $1,000 a