Social
Security column
Strong families survive, and Social Security helps
By Judith
Bartels, Social Security
district manager in Springfield
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[June 12, 2013]
SPRINGFIELD --
In June we celebrate National Family Month, which is a great time to
reflect on your family and how to make it stronger. As the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services reminds us, strong families
share many valuable qualities: trust, commitment, communication,
growth, affection, fun and love.
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Strong families are more likely to
grow through a crisis, allowing the difficult experience to bring
them even closer together.
In the unfortunate event of a family member's death, we want you
to know that Social Security is here to help. In addition to the
emotional difficulty family members experience, there is often a
financial burden as well, especially if the family's main wage
earner dies. In such cases, Social Security survivors benefits will
help.
Did you know that nearly every child in America
could get Social Security survivors benefits if a working parent
dies? And Social Security pays more benefits to children than any
other federal program. Although many people think Social Security is
just a retirement program, you should know that Social Security also
provides survivors insurance benefits for workers and their
families.
If you're like most people, the value of the
survivors insurance you have under Social Security is probably more
than the value of any individual life insurance you may own. And you
don't even need to sign up for a separate policy. By working and
paying Social Security tax, you are most likely already insured
without even knowing it.
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Family members who may be able to receive survivors benefits
based on your work record include a widow or widower, unmarried
children up to age 19 and still in high school, and under certain
circumstances, stepchildren, grandchildren, stepgrandchildren,
adopted children and dependent parents.
If you'd like to learn more about survivors benefits and how to
apply, you should read the publication "Survivors
Benefits" (PDF),
available at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
You can find additional useful information, such as a survivors
planner and information about how to apply for survivors benefits,
at www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/survivors.htm.
[Text from file received from the
Social Security office
in Springfield]
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