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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
Medicare premium will be raised
By Tom Margenau
Copley News Service
Q. I know we're getting a Social Security raise next year, but our Medicare
premium is going up, too. Once again, the government gives us money with one
hand and takes it all away with the other! Why does this always happen?
A. It doesn't happen as often as you might think. And when it does, it isn't
as bad as you make it out to be. In 2001, the Medicare Part B premium will go up
by $4.50, from $45.50 to $50 per month. But this is the first time in a couple
years that the Medicare premium has been increased, even though Social Security
benefits go up every year. In the last three years, the average retiree's Social
Security benefit has increased by about $75. But in the same time, the Medicare
premium went up only $6.20.
It would be unfair to characterize that as "taking away" all of
your Social Security raise.
Q. Is there a maximum amount Social Security pays a retiree? How about a
couple? How about a family?
A. This is going to be one of those "yes and no" answers I'm stuck
with having to give sometimes. Let's start with retirees. Because Social
Security benefits are based on earnings, and because there is a maximum level of
earnings subject to Social Security tax, that means there is a maximum Social
Security benefit for people approaching retirement age. For example, the maximum
benefit payable to someone retiring at age 65 in 2001 will be $1,536. For
comparison sake, it was $1,433 for people turning 65 in 2000.
But many people work beyond age 65. And as you work, you continue to increase
the amount of your Social Security check. (Extra earnings add up to extra
benefits.) So conceivably, there is no limit to how high a Social Security
retirement benefit can go. But realistically, something in the $2,000 range
would be a very high monthly retirement check.
In 28 years with Social Security, the highest monthly check I've ever seen
was about $2,200. The same general rules carry over to a couple. If both you and
your spouse worked, you each will get the highest benefit you are due. There is
no "marriage penalty" nor anything like that. If your wife did not
work and pay Social Security taxes, then she is limited to somewhere between 38
and 50 percent of your benefit. The "family maximum" situation usually
only applies in death benefit cases.
Technically, each minor child of a worker who dies is due 75 percent of that
worker's Social Security benefit. But generally, we only pay up to two children
that full rate.
After that, we simply divide up the same size pie by the number of children
who qualify for benefits.
Q. I am a diabetic and my eyesight is failing. Should I become blind, would I
be entitled to any Social Security benefits? And can I get Social Security
information in large print or Braille?
A. If you were to become blind, you would get Social Security disability
benefits, assuming you've worked and paid Social Security taxes.
If you haven't worked, or haven't worked long enough, you might be able to
get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits if your income and
assets are under certain limits. And there are many special services for the
visually-impaired such as talking books, publications on tape, Braille
publications, etc. If you need more information, you can call us toll-free at
(800) 772-1213 and ask for the booklet, "If You Are Blind Or Have Low
Vision - How We Can Help."
Q. Did I hear that the Commissioner of Social Security is leaving?
A. Yes. Kenneth S. Apfel recently announced that at the end of his term in
January 2001, he will leave his Cabinet-level position to join the faculty as
chair of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of
Texas.
Questions may be sent to Tom Margenau, Director of Social Security's Public
Affairs Bureau, Social Security Office, 880 Front St., San Diego, CA 92188.
Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com.
(c) Copley News Service
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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
Medicare automatic when you
reach 65
By Tom Margenau
Copley News Service
Q. This may sound strange. But I don't know if I have Medicare coverage or
not. I'm 66 and getting Social Security benefits. However, I don't ever remember
signing up for Medicare. Fortunately I'm in good health and don't need it. But
do I have Medicare?
A. I'll bet you do. If you were getting Social Security checks when you
turned 65, we just automatically put you on Medicare when you hit that
milestone. A couple months before your 65th birthday, you should have gotten a
red, white and blue Medicare card in the mail with instructions to put it away
in a safe place. Sounds like you picked too much of a safe place to hide it!
Call (800) 772-1213 to verify that you're on Medicare. They also can issue you a
new card.
Q. I heard Social Security offers a newsletter. Do you know anything about
it?
A. You're probably talking about our new electronic newsletter called
eNews. As its name implies, it's an online service available at our Web site, so
you have to have Internet access to get to it. (And judging from all the e-mail
I get, there are many seniors and other readers of this column who are computer
and Internet savvy.) To subscribe, just go to www.ssa.gov/enews/
and enter your e-mail address. Once you subscribe, you will receive a free
newsletter each month packed with important news from Social Security. Besides
my column, of course, it's the simplest and most convenient way to keep up with
the latest developments about Social Security.
Q. I have been getting Social Security disability benefits for 10 years. I
just got to wondering if there is a time limit on my disability payments. I have
a condition that will never get better.
A. There are no time restrictions to the payment of disability benefits.
You'll get benefits as long as you remain disabled, even if that means for the
rest of your life. However, the law does require us to periodically review all
disability claims. So you will eventually be asked to complete some forms and
provide updated medical records so we can ensure you continue to meet the legal
definition of "disability."
Q. I found a mistake on the earnings report I received from Social Security.
How do I fix it?
A. By "report," I assume you mean the Social Security statement that
is automatically mailed to everyone about three months before their birthday.
The statement provides estimates of future Social Security benefits and a
year-by-year breakdown of earnings as shown in our records. Since your future
benefit is based almost entirely on your earnings, it's important to ensure we
have them properly posted in our files. If you find a mistake, it's easy to fix.
Either call (800) 772-1213, or take a copy of your W-2 form for the year in
question to your nearest Social Security office.
Q. You previously reported Medicare's toll-free number as (800) MEDICARE.
That translates to (800) 633-42273. That's one too many numbers. What's wrong?
A. Nothing's wrong. I'm not quite sure how it works, but somehow the
phone company knows to just ignore that last digit. Medicare's number is (800)
633-4227, which cleverly works out to (800) MEDICAR. They throw in the last
"E" just to make it easier for people to remember the number.
Questions may be sent to Tom Margenau,
Director of Social Security's Public Affairs Bureau, Social Security Office, 880
Front St., San Diego, CA 92188.
Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com.
(c) Copley News Service
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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
The oldest record of birth is
the best record of birth
By
Tom Margenau
Copley News Service
Q. I was born in Ireland, but have lived in the United States since 1950. I
am a U.S. citizen. I will sign up for Social Security next year. I called my
local Social Security office and was told I need my birth certificate. I don't
have one. Isn't the fact that I'm a naturalized U.S. citizen and a U.S. Army
veteran sufficient evidence that I'm legitimate?
A. We don't require you to prove your citizenship or
"legitimacy," but we do require you to prove you're old enough to
qualify for benefits. In other words, you don't get Social Security benefits
because you are a U.S. citizen or an Army veteran. You get retirement benefits
because you are at least 62 years old.
Over the years, we have learned that the oldest record
of birth is the best record of birth. So we always ask Social Security
applicants to provide a birth certificate. I'm sure there's a record of your
birth on file somewhere in Ireland. If so, you're going to have to get a
certified copy of it. If no record exists, we'll need the next oldest record.
For example, if you were baptized as a child, we'll need to see the baptismal
record. Contact the Social Security office again and they will help you obtain
these or other records.
Q.
I'm trying to get a Social Security speaker for my local Rotary club. I
called the local Social Security office and was told they no longer provide this
service. Since you're Social Security's "Director of Public Affairs,"
can you arrange for a speaker?
A. Well I might be able to help, but not for the reason you cite. I am
Social Security's public affairs director in San Diego. I'm afraid my
jurisdiction doesn't extend beyond the borders of San Diego County. But I have
contacted Social Security's communication's director in the area nearest where
you lived and asked her to contact you.
My advice to anyone else having trouble lining up a
Social Security speaker through your local Social Security office is to ask the
manager of that office for the name and phone number of the "regional
communications director" in the area. That person should be able to help
you out.
Q.
I am a retired federal employee. I will get a civil service pension
instead of Social Security. But I paid into Medicare and want to know if I need
to sign up for Part B when I turn 65?
A. As you know, Medicare taxes were deducted from your paycheck while you
were working. Those taxes paid for the Part A Medicare program. So when you turn
65, you should sign up for Part A because it's bought and paid for. But Part B
coverage is going to cost you $45.50 per month and that's why you're wondering
if you need it. I have participated in many civil service retirement seminars
and here's the advice I usually hear from the health insurance counselors on the
speakers' panel.
Government retirees are told they don't need Part B of
Medicare because the federal government is required to cover them through their
health plans. But on the other hand, they are told that the National Association
of Retired Federal Employees recommends that its members sign up for Part B and
pay the $45.50 fee in order to have complete health coverage. So I suggest you
talk to your current health plan provider and to NARFE to get their input.
Q.
I wish Social Security would stop promoting their toll free number as
(800) SSA-1213. I think most people will agree with me that the combination of
letters and numbers is confusing.
A. I agree with you. I always use "772" instead of "SSA."
For one thing, it's just easier to deal with all numbers. And for another, most
people don't know that "SSA" stands for Social Security
Administration. Even though we are one of the biggest federal agencies, people
just don't know us by our initials in the same way they know the FBI or the IRS.
For the record, our toll-free number is (800) 772-1213.
Questions may be sent to Tom Margenau,
Director of Social Security's Public Affairs Bureau, Social Security Office, 880
Front St., San Diego, CA 92188.
Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com.
(c) Copley News Service
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