Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-03
SECURITY FOR YOU
Servicemen
Now Eligible
For Benefits

been standing at the back door
of the Social Security system.
Without cost to them, they've
been covered by the system. but
without full rights.
This week they move into the
front room and become a regular
member of the social security
family. They start paying social
security tax on their pay and
accommodating full old age, sur
vivor and disability rights.
The change in scenery results
from a change Congress made
last year in the social security
law. 1t became effective Janu-
airy /.
The rights to servicemen will
be in addition to, and separate
from, the retirement benefits
they may earn from their mill
tary service. For example: A
career serviceman who earns re-
tirement pay because of his
years in uniform also will be
eligible for social security retire.
ment payments when he retires
from work after reaching SIS.
The present cost to a service
man for being a full member of
the social security family will
be ga per cent of his base pay
up to $4,000 a year.
Same as Civilians
This is exactly the same tax
arrangement which covers civil
ian employees. The Government,
like civilian employers. will have
to match the tax paid by service
men and the total of both over
to the Social Security Admins
tration. Like civilian eployes.
servicemen will have to pay the
five increases in the Social
Security tax which are scheduled
during the next 10 years.
Like civilians. the tax pay
ments earn servicemen rights to-
ward the three benefit programs:
Death Benefits - These are
two types of payments which
may be made to a serviceman's
survivors when he dies. They
are: % a lump sum ranging
from 500 to S255-the amount
depending on how long the serv-
iceman paid into social security
and his average monthly earn
ings-and (2) monthly payments
made to certain dependents
when he dies.
Retirement Benefits - These
are monthly payments which
may be made to the serviceman
and his family when he retires
after reaching age IS. or at 70,
even if he doesn't retire. The
size of the payments will vary,
depending on the number of de-
pendents. The payments to the
retired serviceman will range
from $50 to $108.50 a month,
with additional amounts for de-
pendents.
Disability Benefits-These are
monthly payments made to a
person covered by social security
who after reaching so: Cd is so
disabled that he can't engage
in any substantial work; CO. is
suffering a medically determined
physical or mental disability
which is likely to last the rest
of his life; 90 has been covered
by social security for five out
Of the 10 years before he was
disabled and "a has worked UNI
der social security 10 of the last
SO months Immediately before
ne was disabled.
Certain Limits Imposed
The disability benefits provi-
sion of the social security law
has its limits for men in uniform,
because to be eligible for pay
ments under it, other Govern
ment payments for disability
must first be taken into consid-
Grafton.
Since other Government dis
ability payments for a service
connected ailment will usually
be larger than the social security
payments for the same ailment.
the result probably will mean no
social security disability pay
ments.
However. for a man who gets
out of uniform without a service
disability, the right to social
security disability payments
earned in uniform can mean a
great deal.
(You may write to Ray Henry
in care Of The Star about your
own social security or retirement
problem. Please enclose a
stamped, Self-addressed envelope