The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-04-10
SOCIAL SECURITY
By EARL w. TRINKLE
Field Representative

tically every child born in the
United States nowadays has the
protection of social security in
surance. Before the 1856 amend
ments to the law, this protection
was provided for only unmarried
children under age Is when family
income was lost or reduced due to
the retirement or death of the
supporting parent. Effective Janu-
airy, 1867, monthly social security
benefits became payable to chill
dren in the same circumstance if
they become disabled before age
10 and remain disabled. They too,
have the comfort of receiving the
financial support provided by the
parents work under social secur-
ity.
1t is important that there be no
delay in filing an application for
disabled child's benefits. Such ben
efits can be paid retroactively for
no more than IL months. Thus, a
disabled child who was eligible for
these benefits in January, 1857,
now will lose a months benefit for
each month there is a delay in fill
ing application. If able to handle
his own affairs, the child should
file the application himself; other
wise, the parent or other person
who is responsible for the child
should file for him.
To qualify for disabled child's
bnefits, the child does not have to
be completely helpless but he must
have a disability which is so Sc
we're that in the words of the law,
it makes him unable to "engage
in substantial gainful activity" 1t
must be a physical or mental con-
dition which is expected to con-
tinue indefinitely or to result in
death. The extent of the disabling
condition must be proven by medi-
cal evidence. The proper medical
forms to obtain this evidence are
provided by social security offices
when application is filed.
The medical evidence shows the
severity of the disabled child's
condition. Then other factors, such
as the kinds of work the child has
done in the past, his education, his
training, and other abilities are
evaluated by a team of doctors and
other trained people to see wheth-
err his overall condition keeps him
from doing substantial gainful
work.
An important feature of the So
cial security disability program for
disabled child is that the child's
name is referred to the Office Of
Vocational Rehabilitation. The pur-
pose of this is to determine if that
office can help him overcome his
handicap and prepare for and find
suitable work.
Certain proofs in addition to
medical evidence must be supplied
before payment can be made.
Proof of the child's date of birth
and relationship to the parent up
on whose social security earnings
record he is applying must be fur
nished. A birth certificate estab-
lished shortly after birth is the
best evidence for a natural child.
If such a record does not exist,
other documentary evidence may
be submitted. The older the rec
ord the better it is.
Social security beneficiaries do
not have to retire completely to
receive their monthly checks.
Many people are supplementing
their social security benefits by
doing seasonal or part-time work.
Persons under age 72 may earn
as much as $2O8O and still get
some payments. Those whose year
ly earnings are $1,000 or less are
eligible to receive all of their
checks for the year. If the earn
one check may be withheld for
each $50 Cor fraction of $500
over the $1,000.
An example of this provision
of the retirement test is the bene-
ficiary or worker of retirement
age (62 for women, 65 for men)
who works steadily and has earn
ings for the year of $500. This
person could still receive a checks.
Those who work throughout the
year and earn over $1,000 would
lose all their social security checks
for the year. However, they would
be eligible to receive payment for
any month they did not work in
their business or earn no more
than 500 in wages.
After the year worker be-
comes age ~, he may earn any
amont and still be entitled to all
his social security payments.
However, in the year in which he
became 72, he must include all
his earnings for such year. Thus,
if he earns over $1,000 in the year
he reaches age 72, he might lose
payment for those months prior
to his 72nd birthday. Beginning
with the month of age ", bene-
fits are payable regardless OF