The Sidney herald., 1960-07-06

LIS SOCIAL S6Cu1lIy
ed. Why is this? I thought all the
social security records were ac-
curate.
A-Your friend is correct. The
Social Security Administration
urges that every employee or self
employed person have his social
security account checked on a reg
ular basis, usually every three
years. The old adage that IAN
ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure" is applicable to
your social security account too.
The modern methods of recording
each employee and self employed
persons wage information do a
remarkable job of maintaining
correct accounts but sometimes IN
~accuracies will occur. This can
happen due to many reasons but
usually because a social security
number is omitted from the en-
ployer's report or an incorrect di-
git of the persons social security
number is accidentally typed.
When an individual has his ac-
count checked, he can quickly
determine from the information
he receives back from Social Sec
urity Administration whether all
his earnings are being credited to
his account.
WI is the correct way to go
about getting your social security
record checked?
A-Stop in at your local social
security office and ask for the card
titled "Wage Statement Request"
Complete the card by placing on it
your social security number, your
date of birth, and your name and
address. Do not forget to sign the
card where indicated. Your social
security account is held strictly
confidential and no information
from it can be given out to anyone
except yourself. The card IS al
ready addressed. Mail it and in a
few days you will receive from the
Social Security Administration a
slip showing your total accredited
earnings since 1897 and 1851 as
well as yearly total for the last
four years.
Q-Suppose my social security
account is wrong. What should ]
do?
A-The first thing to do is come
to the social security office and
point out to the representative the
period you believe to be incorrect
Your social security office viii
then have the records recheckeo
and determine what earning:
should be posted to your account
If an error has occurred, youl
account will be adjusted to include
any earnings that could have beer
posted to it.
Q-I am going to retire from my
job in February. Is there anything
1 should bring into the social sec,
urity office when I come in Il
Q make my application for old-agc
benefits?
Ayes, indeed there is. To speed
t up your claim it would help if yol
would bring with you some proc
o of your age. Don't be worried i
you don't have a birth certificate
A telephone call to the social sec
5 urity office before coming in vii
result in a social security repre-
sentative discussing with you
variety Of types of acceptable
proofs of age. Chances are 100 t
l you can prove your age from
source other than a birth certific
ate. It would also help a grea
deal if you would bring you
statement of earnings W-2 Form
, from your employer for the pre-
vious year. If you r self-employ
ed, bring along a copy Of your 1875
income tax return. Also, be sure
bring your social security car
h with you. You'd be surprised hoy
many applicants forget it.
ID GA friend told me that | ca
pay my own social security tax.
, earn wages of 1000 a year and
want to pay on $4,000 in order I
get maximum benefits. How Do
go about this?
A-Sorry to say your friend
wrong. AS an employee, your sot
ial security tax is reported an
Of paid by your employer. In order
al at pay the tax on $4,000, you mu'
earn $4,000. Only self employe
A. business and professional Poop.
x and ministers pay their own so'
lal security tax on the actu;
if amount of their net business IL
10 come for the year.
90 Q-When I made my social 81
curity application for retiremel
benefits the man at the social SCI
urity office said I had to mai
an some sort of report after Janual
1860. I stopped working in Noven
Der 1859, and I'm way over 65.
rt forgot what report he meant. CO
you tell me what it is?
A-The social security repr
sentative was referring to an al
nual report of earnings. If yo1
total earnings in 1859 exceeds
ey $1,000 this report is made in ord
s. for the Social Security Admin
&c tration to determine if you ha'
W received all checks to which W
ld were entitled in 1859. A person
ne subject to loss of one or more SO
&, ial security checks if his earnin
en- exceed $1,000 in a year. An a
C. nual report shows the exa
y. amount of earnings. From this c;
be obtained the number OF chez
due you. You have until April
1860, in which to make this annu
ne report. You may be penalized a
It. ditional social security checks
St. failure to make this annual repo
The people at the social securl
office will be happy to assist y
or should Won encounter any diff