Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-06
SECURITY FOR YOU
Phone Call
May Supply
Needed uto
BY RAY HENRY
Associated Press stan writei

This time of the year the
social security Offices always
find their business booming.
For example: Nearly twice
as many people are applying
for social security these days
as were doing so In the late
months of 1857.
There are q number of rea-
sons for this.
Many companies chose the
first of the year to retire their
older workers. And, these re-
tired people crowd the social
security Offices to get their pay
mentS started.
Lots of self-employed people
wait until the end of the year
to give up working. They also
troop into their local Offices to
start their payments.
And. of course, this is the
time that self-employed per-
sons must pay their social Sc
curity tax. Many call on their
local officers to get help in fig
uring how much they must
pay. how to fill out the tax
forms, etc., etc.
In any case, the jump in BUSH
ness creates problems both for
social security Offices around
the country and for the people
visiting them.
The Offices get damned and
people have to wait in line to
get help Applications for pay
ments p. up and, as a result,
it takes h ger for payments to
start after a person applies.
AS a practical matter, there
isn't much the social security
Offices can do about their prob
lens. It's unreasonable and
costly to hire and train people
to work temporarily during the
periods of booming business.
A Way Out
But, there are ways in which
you-if you have a social Sc
curity problem-can avoid a
long wait in line and some of
the other results Of the crush.
The first thing to do is to
find out if you actually have to
visit your local Office to get
your problem solved. You may
be able to solve 1t by a tele-
phone call.
The social security people can
give you just as good an answer
to many questions on the phone
as they can in person. And.
probably it'll be easier and
faster for them, too.
A phone call may also save
you a second trip to your local
Office.
For example: If you're apply
ing for monthly payments,
you'll probably have to show
certain kinds of affidavits or
documents before your applica-
ton will be accepted. This
could include a marriage liz
cense, death or birth certificate,
W. income tax form, etc. If
you find out by a phone call
what you're going to need,
you'll save a second trip.
May Avoid Trip
You may be able to escape
a visit to the Office altogether
by putting your problem in a
letter to the nearest Office. You
probably can get the address
from your phone book. tn be
listed under the Department Of
Health, Education and Welfare,
Social Security Administration,
Bureau of Old-Age and Surviv-
ors Insurance. Or you can get
the address from the nearest
post Office If there's no office
listed in the phone book.
You may not get an immedi-
ate answer to your letter due
to the heavy load most Offices
are carrying now. But, a letter
can generally move you toward
social security payments as
fast rs a personal visit.
II your letter is designed tc
get your payments started, you
should clearly state it. Their
the payments probably will be
effective on the day the letter
is received.
you may prite Ray Henri
In care OF The Star about youI
oWn social security or retire
ment problem. Please snclose q
stamped, selJ-GddTesSed enve-
lope and rs cents In conn.,
Monday: Questions answered chou
eligibility for soeiol security benefits.