Fraternity-Testvériség, 1960 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1960-08-01 / 8. szám

FRATERNITY

3

A NEW KIND OF RETIREMENT

A new kind of retirement has been developing in the Washington,

D. C., area in the last few years because of the more flexible rules now in the Social Security Act. William R. Spates, Social Security district manager, pointed out that the move to “retirement by the month” has brought new gains to beneficiaries under Federal old-age insurance. It also helps the local economy by making available, much more than under the old rules, the productive capacity of older workers.

A generation ago, retirement was thought of as a permanent condition, almost as final as death. Only rarely did an individual “come out of retirement”.

Now, social security rules measure, first, whether a retiree is “retired” for the entire year — the $1200 test — and then, if he earned over $1200 and so can’t be counted as retired for the whole year, they measure whether he can be counted as “retired” for each separate month of the year. If in any one month he neither earns over $100 working for others nor works in a business of his own, he is “retired” for that month and his old-age benefit is due him for that month.

That is how many social security beneficiaries earn well over $1200 during the year, for work in part of the year, and still draw benefits for the other months of the year. They’re simply collecting for the months in which they were “retired by the month”. For them, retirement is a convenient, adjustable state which they pick up and put aside readily, perhaps several times in one year.

In all probability, Mr. Spates said, a good many other workers of retirement age in this locality who haven’t applied for benefits could now apply and draw for one or more months each year — because they are “retired by the month”. To look into this, they should contact the Social Security district office at 814 “H” St., N. W., Washington, D. C., or the one in their vicinity.

PURCHASE OF BATTLEFIELD WHERE ZAGONYI FOUGHT

The Civil War Round Table of the Ozarks at Springfied, Missouri, held a special meeting recently in memory of the members of the 11th Regiment of Kansas Volunteers. Approximately 150 persons, including city and state officials, historians and Round Tablers were present. Principal speaker was Karl S. Betts of the National Centennial Commission. The program included a tour of the Wilson’s Creek battlefield, luncheon, special ceremonies at the Zagonyi Monuments and a banquet. Announcement was made during the program that a local committee has embarked on a campaign to raise $750,000 to purchase the battlefield site.

“We will never write off the millions of people enslaved behind the Iron Curtain. Their freedom shall always be our objective. When freedom is threatened anywhere, it is threatened in America . . .”

Vice President Richard M. Nixon