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Kokua Line
Question: I called the 1-800 number for the Social Security Administration to ask some questions about the new law allowing people between 65 and 70 to work and receive all their Social Security benefits. I received general information but was told to call the local social security office for details. I left my number three days in a row at the local office and no one has called back. What's the problem? Social Security
benefits best
not deferredThe Social Security Administration told me I had the option of deferring Social Security benefits until I turn 70, which is next year. I want to find out which would be more beneficial to me -- waiting a year or taking the payments now.
Answer: "Generally speaking, there is no real advantage" to waiting until you reach 70 to begin receiving your benefits, according to Tim Walsh, spokesman for the local Social Security Administration office.
If you opted to receive a delayed retirement credit, "once you started drawing, it would take you anywhere from 20 to 30 years to make up what you would have given up by not drawing the benefits when you could," Walsh said.
Asked why people would be offered the option of deferring payments when it made no sense to do so, Walsh said that's because Congress "did not address the back part of the law, which applies to delayed retirement credit."
Therefore, the option still has to be made available, although, "extremely few and far between would choose to defer."
He also said that whoever you spoke with at the 800 number should have provided that information.
Despite what your letter said about calling local SSA offices, you should call the 800 number because, as you found out, you'll be frustrated trying to get through locally.
Unless you already are "in the system," meaning you have a claim pending, "It's really difficult to get through (the local office) sometimes because our resources have been dedicated to that national toll-free number," Walsh said.
Staff that used to be assigned to field offices to answer phones are now in the national office, he said.
Library temporarily closed
The Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped in Kapahulu is closed today through Easter Sunday to allow the repaving and restriping of its parking lot. It will reopen 9:30 a.m. Monday.The library opened in 1961, is adjacent to the Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library. It provides free services for people who need library materials in special formats, including Braille, large type, cassettes and recorded discs, as well as transcribing services and Radio Reading Service-Hawaii.
It is unique because it belongs to two library systems: the Hawaii State Public Library System and the Library of Congress' National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped.
Mahalo
About 7 a.m. Sunday, April 2, in heavy rainfall just before the Kalihi Interchange (Middle Street on-ramp), Koko Head direction, there was an accident involving two cars. Fortunately there was an angel following my car, who called police right away and stopped to check if I was OK. Being so traumatized, I neglected to get his name or number because he was in a hurry to get to work. I want to thank him for taking the time to stop. Please call 583-5595. -- S. Katada
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com