Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-07-28
Social Security Pays Off

A . OAA'SAJ OONAitJ tllN
end of last year, 1852 retired
workers were receiving $153, 719
in monthly social security pay
ments, according to figures re-
leased by Victor Sadd, Social
Security Administration district
manager in Washington.
In addition to the retired work
ers themselves, 2,670 people were
receiving $107,543 a month as
dependents of aged workers or
as survivors of those who had
died. This is a total of 1862
persons receiving $261, 1862.
These amounts represent an in
crease of 50 per cent over the
benefits being paid at the end of
1858, Mr.. Sadd pointed out, due
primarily to the 1854 Amend
ments to the social security law,
which increased all benefits.
One of the changes in the law
made it possible for the first time
for the survivors of some work
ers who died after 1889 and be-
fore September 1850 to qualify
for payments.
Beginning in September, 1854,
the amendments permit the
dropping out" of up to 5 years of
lowest earnings in figuring the
workers average monthly wage.
This has the effect of increasing
the average earnings, from
which the monthly payments are
figured.
Other improvements in the law
did not go into effect until the
first day of 1855; although these
changes had not affected the pay.
ments that were being made at
the end of 1854, they will con.
tribute the further increases in
the total amount of benefit pay.
able in Montgomery County dur.
ing this year.
Among the amendments, that
went into effect on the first of
the year, one changes the rules
for receiving payments while the
beneficiary is working, one eX-
tends coverage to many kinds of
work that did not count toward
social security benefits before
1855, and another increases the
maximum amount of annual cred
liable toward benefits from $3,-
600 to $4,000.
A major change made by the
1854 Amendments was provision
of method by which totally dis
abled workers can protect their
future benefit rights by "freez.
ing" their social security wage
records while they are disabled.
This can increase the payments
now being made to many people
who are already 65 but were dis
abled for considerable period
before they reached 65
OF the workers receiving old
age insurance benefits in Mont
gomery County at the end of the
year, 712 had wives or husbands
who were entitled to payments
as dependents. Benefits to wives
and aged dependent husbands
amounted to $22,923 per month.
Children made up a large
group of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
them were receiving $42,423 in
benefits at the end of the year.
Most of these were children of
younger workers who had died,
but some were children of retir-
ed workers.
If their father has died and chill.
dren receiving benefits are in
the care of their mother, the
mother also receives benefits. In
Montgomery County 274 mothers
received $l3,267 per month at the
end of 1854.
Twenty-eight thousand nine
hundred thirty dollars month
went to GOA aged widows and
aged dependent widowers and pa
rents of deceased workers.
These local figures for old-age
and survivors insurance pay.
ments reflect national trend,
Mr.. Sadd said. In the country
as whole, there were 6,SS6, 4S0
people receiving benefit payment
at the end of 1854 nearly a mil
lion more than in December, 1858.
MIR. Sadd stressed the import.