Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-02
SECURITY FOR YOU
Don't Rule
Out Benefits
At 81
BY RAY HENRY


Harry Smith, a neighbor Of
mine, had a visit from his
mother and father the other
day. His mother Is 81, his ia
ther 70.
After Harry introduced me to
his mother. he said to her:
Have you got any questions
about Social Security? This fell
lowlow can probably give you
the answers"
mo" she said. 1--WE decided
to wait until I reach IS before
j ask for my Social Security.
understand I'd take quite a cut
in my payments If I started them
now"
She added that she'd be get
ting the payments as a wife and
that her husband was already
receiving Social Security checks
AS she continued to talk. II
became clear that she'd been
given some bad information.
She knew that = as Of last
November - a wife between So
and IS could collect Social
Security checks II her husband
was already drawing payments;
that until last November the
earliest a wife could get Social
Security was age IS.
Mistaken on Reduction
And, she knew that the checks
to q wife who started drawing
them before she reached IS
wouldn't be as big as the checks
she could get If she waited until
she reached IS to draw them;
that IL she chose to take the
reduced payments before she
reached IS. she'd continue to
get the reduced checks after she
was IS. But, she was way on In
her estimate Of how much less
her checks would be II she
started them now. She figured
they'd be at least $40 or SIS q
month less when. In fact. they
would only be $3.50 less.
When she found this out, she
said:
by golly, I'm going to apply
for Social Security now. TIN take
q long while to make up that
little difference"
This story illustrates some Of
the confusion that Social Sc
curity offices are running into
about the new retirement age
of 50 for women.
Actually, the basic facts about
payments to wives are fairly
simple:
II your husband Is getting So
cial Security payments, you're
entitled TO wife's payments at
any time you choose after you
reach 81. But. by taking the
payments before you reach IS
the size Of your monthly checks
viii be permanently reduced.
The amount Of the reduction
depends on the number Of
months between the time you
start drawing the payments and
your 65th birthday. For each
month after age 81 that you wait
to get the payments the reduc-
ton will be less.
Cut Depends on Age
For example: II you choose u
start your checks as soon as you
reach 50. your payments will
only be rs per cent of what you
would get II you were IS. II you
wait until your 63rd birthday
the amount Of the payments will
be 83H Of what you would gel
II you were SIS. And II you wait
until you reach "a. the amount
will be 9l25 per cent.
Suppose your husband is get
ting $3.50 q month. Your pay.
ment at So would be $3.50: al
SO, $37: at "a, $40.70; at IS
$44.30-depending on which o.
the ages you wanted to start thu
payments.
In any case, II you choose the
reduced payments at any age
between 81 and IS. you'll bt
ahead for the first IL years. But
II you collect wife's payments al
the reduced rate for more thar
IL years, the total amount you
receive will not be as large as II
you had waited until IS to start
the higher payments.
you may tOrtte Ray Henry IN
care OF The Star about your So.
cial Security or retirement prob.
lem. Please enclose a stamped
selt-dddressed envelope and 2!
cents In cotn.)
The next Security for You column
will appear Mondoy.
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