SOCIAL SECURITY

Q. I am 62 years old and get benefits on my husband's record. He will be 65 next year and he will get Medicare. Will I get Medicare?
A. Generally, people are not eligible for Medicare until they are 65 years old.
Q. I worked part time last year to supplement my Supplemental Security Income checks. I didn't earn enough to owe any federal income taxes, so all the money that was withheld from my paycheck is being refunded to me. Will it count as income under SSI?
A. No, tax refunds do not count as income for SSI purposes. That's because we actually count your gross wages each month that you work, and the taxes withheld from your wages was already counted as income and won't be counted again.
However, since money not spent in the month it's received is counted as a resource in the following month, you should still report it to Social Security.
If the tax refund includes an Earned Income Tax Credit, we will not count that part of your refund as a resource until the second month after you get it. If the things you own are worth more than $2,000 (or $3,000 for a couple), you cannot get SSI.
Visit our Web site at ww.ssa.gov, call us at (800) 772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office.
Q. I am divorced, but I think I am eligible for benefits because of my ex-husband's work record. Can I request one of his Social Security Statements to see?
A. Federal law does not allow us to provide you with a copy of someone else's Social Security Statement. Generally, divorced spouses are eligible for benefits on their ex-spouse's work record if they were married for at least 10 years. For information, call our toll-free number, (800) 772-1213.
XThis column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at (800) 772-1213.\
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