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Show Social Security Benefits Often Overlooked Inacudate advice from well meaning but inadequately informed inform-ed friends may be costing some workers money in the form of old age and survivors insurance benefits, Rex A. C. Atwood, manager man-ager of the Salt Lake City office of the Social Security Board, said j today. The same kind of advice 'also may be keeping benefit checks from widows, children, and 'parents of workers who die, Mr. Atwood said. To counteract this, he said that every worker who is 65 or over and has been working in insured employment generally business and industry should get in touch with the nearest office of the Social Soc-ial Security Board immediately for information as soon as he quits his job. If he is qualified for , benefits, the Board will assist him to file a claim. If he needs additional addi-tional work in covered employment employ-ment to qualify, he will De iokl just how much more. Similarly when a worker dies, if Social Security taxes have been taken from his pay, the widow or other close relatives should contact con-tact the Board's office immediately, immedia-tely, Full assistance in completing complet-ing claims will be furnished by the field office. Contacts may be made by visit, by letter or by tele phone. Several retired workers who have delayed in filling claims nave informed the Board that friends have told them they were not el-' igible, Mr. Atwood said. The best thing to do, he added, "is to come to our office and ask about such matters. We have the best information.'" infor-mation.'" While provisions is made for some back payments on delayed claims, Mr. Atwood said, delay ma' reduce the amount of benefits, or wipe them out entilely in some cases. "Many workers of retirement age tell us that they did not realize real-ize that they may continue to earn credits towards benefits after af-ter reaching age 65, or that they may work in covered employment even after benefits start, without sacrificing their retirement . insurance in-surance rights," Mr. Atwood said. "The true facts are that a worker may quallify for retirement retire-ment benefits at any age above 65, and that he merely gives up benefit for those months in which he makes as $15 in covered employment. em-ployment. He might work one month and give up his benefit, and not work the next month and receive his benefit.'' I |