Milford chronicle., 1954-10-08
Changes In Your
Social Security
Bv MYRON MILBOUER

manager or the wilmington Social
Security Ohce) .
The new social security law has
special provision for the surviv-
Ors Of the deceased workers who.
were not eligible to collect bene-
fits before because the worker
wasn't considered insured under
the old law. If this was the case
with the deceased breadwinner in
your family, you are bound to be
interested in the story of the
young widow I am going to tell
today She lost her husband before
September 1850 And because she
came to her social security office,
she will receive the benefits to
which she is entitled Youll want
to take definite action to get the
survivors benefits to which you
MAY be entitled under the new
Jaw.
For woman not yet thirty, life
had dealt some serious blows to
this young widow. One rainy night
In 194S, her husband was on the
way to the hospital where the
young woman had just given birth
to twins. His car skidded on the
slippery street, and he died several
hours later in the hospital where
his wife was awaiting his arrival.
A few months after the tragedy,
the young widow paid her first
visit to the social security office
She held her husbands social Sc
curity card in her hand while she
was telling me her story. She
wasn't sure how long he had
worked in a job under social Sc
curity or If he would be insured.
In a few days had had his record
checked in our Baltimore office. 1
think one of the most difficult
things / have ever done was tell
/ the young woman that because her
| husband hadn't worked in his Job
under social security long enough,
neither she nor her children were
entitled to benefit checks.
Not long after the beginning Of
September, when she came into
the office, she was surprised that
I remembered her and the twins.
who were by this time in their
first year Of school I had often
wondered how the family who
couldn't get social security bene-
tits were managing. I soon learned
that they had gotten along on some
savings plus contributions from
the mothers parents.
Now the savings had been de-
pleted and the money from the
widows parents had stopped be-
cause Of the illness Of her father.
The widow and her children had
come once more to ask about so
cial security benefits on her hus-
bands record. Without the social
security survivors check, the fam
ily would have to be broken up
the mother would have to
work full-time and the children
I would have to be placed i'm foster
I homes. I was happy to tell her
I that this need not happen now.
For this young widow and for
/ Thousands like her who lost hus-
bands Or fathers before September
I 1850. the 1854 amendments will
make q big difference. Her husband
( is considered fully insured under
The new law because ne had about
I q year and q half Of work under
{ social security.
I She has applied for survivors
( benefits for herself and the chill
I dren. And she will be getting them
/ from September of 1854 until her
twins are is, unless she marries
/ again. Under the provision, the
/ eligible survivors Of a person who
died before September /, 1850. and
/ Who Is now considered fully in
I sured " the law may not collect
/ benefits for the months before Sep
tember 1854. And no lump sum
! death payments may be collected
I by these survivors.
/ The new law applies only to
! those survivors Of workers who
I died after 1899 and before Septem-
/ Der i. 1850. Dependent widOwers
and divorced wives who are carina
I for the deceased ge-earner's
children may not collect survivors
benefits under this provision.
II you are the survivor of q
worker who died before September
/ I, 1850, and If you weren't eligible
/ for social security benefits before
ycu may be now Maybe you didnf
/ apply before or waited too long Il
apply for the benefits to which yor
were entitled. Under the new Law
you may apply for your survivor.
benefits until September 1856.
I urge you to apply for the bene
lits NOW If you think you are eligf
bic. AND YOU ARE III you az,
the surviving aged widow, widOwe,
mother and minor child. or paren
Of any worker who died after De
cember 81, 1899, and before Sen
tember 1, 1850, and who had a
least q year and a half Of worl
under social security.