Greetings, greetings, I come to say hello! This complicated year is about to end, full of historical and unexpected events, today we will try to cheer you up a bit while we summarize various topics addressed in our columns published weekly in El Vocero during 2020. To the rhythm of catchy songs like “Huevito sin sal” and “ Give me your elbow, dove, to climb up to your nest … uh, ah! “, Let’s see that” behind every man or woman, there could be a Social Security story. “
Perched on the roof of his house, the young Pipe scrapes the güiro while his wife Julie declaims a “Puerto Rican bomb.” She is pregnant with quintuplets. Pipe has been self-employed for many years, but has NOT paid his Social Security. If Pipe becomes disabled or dies, his wife and future babies will not qualify for benefits.
All self-employed people have to pay their Social Security to acquire protection for themselves and their loved ones in the event of retirement, disability or death. Contact the Federal Internal Revenue Service (1-800-829-1040).
Jumping and jumping on the terrace of his house, Benabe takes his aerobic exercise classes -on the internet- listening to “Mi burrito sabanero”. He is already 70 years old, but he has NOT wanted to enroll in Medicare health insurance because he wants to save money, he has never suffered ailments or visited doctors. To his surprise, last week he felt ill and called us to enroll in Medicare. He can enroll between January and March 2021. However, his medical coverage would start in July and he will pay a higher premium each month for the rest of his life.
Learn about your Medicare health plan at least three months before and up to three months after your 65th birthday to avoid paying penalties afterward. Those who do not enroll on time must wait until the next general enrollment period during the months of January through March and the plan’s coverage would begin in July of that year. The monthly premium will cost an additional 10% for each year after you turn 65. There is an exception to these surcharges if you were working and covered under your employer’s health plan when you turned 65. If you collect disability benefits, find out immediately when to enroll in Medicare.
Next to the microwave, Carmelo reheats rice with pigeon peas, curd, pickled bananas and lechon skin. Carmelo receives a low Social Security retirement benefit because, although he worked for several companies, one of them did NOT report his wages to Social Security. This company only paid him in cash -cash- and never provided him with evidence of his wages. Therefore, we compute your benefits considering only credited income.
Social Security uses most of your lifetime earnings to compute your retirement, disability, dependents, and survivors benefits. Regardless of your age, regularly verify that all your income is credited by creating your ‘mySocialSecurity’ account at www.segurosocial.gov.
By law, all employers must provide their withholding slip (W2) to each employee annually. Keep a copy of this document as it will be necessary to correct errors or omissions in your salary record. If your employer does not provide you with your withholding receipt, contact the Department of Labor and the Federal Internal Revenue Service (1-800-829-1040).
On the balcony of his house, Danny and Naomi dance “That poor piglet”. Although they have lived together for 50 years and have 14 children, they have never been legally married. The law of Puerto Rico and most states do not recognize a consensual union as marriage. Therefore, Naomi will not qualify for benefits as a spouse or widow on Don Danny’s account – or vice versa – unless they are legally married – with a marriage certificate – and meet other requirements.
And at his mansion, Rudy filled out his Social Security withdrawal application in less than 15 minutes online at www.segurosocial.gov. This service is only available in English. After that, Rudy called an emergency videoconference – online – with his 7 children, 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. They were all very excited when – surrounded by ornaments and multicolored lights – Rudy told them that he was so happy that he plans to spend his first Social Security check only on gifts for all of them.
We continue to work during the pandemic, although we are unable to receive visitors until further notice. Get oriented by accessing our automated services at 1-800-772-1213 or calling your local Social Security office directly, after entering your zip code in https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp
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