By Vonda VanTil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

Question: My brother had an accident at work last year and is now receiving Social Security disability benefits for himself, his wife, and their daughter. Before his accident, he helped support his son from a previous relationship. Is his son entitled to some benefits as well?

Answer: Regardless of whether your brother was married to his son’s mother, his son may qualify for Social Security benefits on his record. Someone should file an application on his behalf. If he is found to be eligible, both children would receive equal benefits. Learn more by reading our online publication, Disability Benefits (Publication No. 05-10029) at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html.

Question: I understand that to get Social Security disability benefits, my disability must be expected to last at least a year. Do I have to wait a year before I can apply for benefits?

Answer: No. If you believe your disability will last a year or longer, apply for disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. It can take three to four months to process an application. If your application is approved, we will pay your first Social Security disability benefits for the sixth full month after the date your disability began. For more information about Social Security disability benefits, refer to Disability Benefits (Publication No. 05-10029) at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html.

Question: What are the rules for getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? I’m thinking about applying.

Answer: To be eligible to receive SSI benefits, you must be disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. You also must have limited income and resources. Income is defined as wages, Social Security benefits, and pensions. Income also includes food and shelter you receive from others. Social Security does not count all of your income when deciding whether you qualify for SSI. Resources include bank accounts, cash, stocks, and bonds. You may be able to get SSI if your resources are worth no more than $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple). Learn more by reading our publication, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11000.html.

Question: I have an appointment to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). What kind of information will I need to take with me?

Answer: So the application process can go smoothly, you should bring:

Your Social Security number;

Your original birth certificate or other proof of your age;

Information about the home where you live, such as your mortgage or your lease and landlord’s name;

Payroll slips, bank balances, insurance policies, burial fund records, and other information about your income and the things you own;

Proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status; and

If you are applying for SSI because you are disabled or blind, the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals, and clinics that you have visited.

Learn more by reading our publication, You May Be Able To Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11069.html.

By Sen. Carl Levin

The Senate returned to the Capitol this month after a turbulent 2012. In the areas our citizens look to us to address—boosting economic growth and job creation, building a foundation for long-term competitiveness, protecting our environment and our national security—we overcame some major challenges and made some progress in 2012, but delayed many of the tough decisions until 2013.

We ended the year with a debate over the “fiscal cliff,” and while we avoided the potential economic catastrophe of going over the cliff on Dec. 31, we only temporarily delayed draconian automatic spending cuts that will kick in early this year if we can’t reach another agreement to avoid them.

One way we can bring down the deficit while avoiding those damaging cuts is to close some egregious corporate tax loopholes.

Over the last year, I’ve fought for changes to bring down the deficit and make the tax code fairer. For example, we should end the tax loopholes and accounting gimmicks that allow companies to give lucrative stock options to executives and stick Uncle Sam with the tab; that allow companies to avoid taxes by shifting U.S. income to offshore shell corporations; that subsidize companies for moving U.S. jobs offshore; and that allow hedge fund managers to pay a lower tax rate than their staff.

Revenue from closing those loopholes will help us preserve programs that support the aspirations of average families. For example, Congress acted over the summer to avoid a doubling of student-loan rates that would have put college – already a financial strain for most families – even further out of reach. We beat back attempts to reduce the budgets for education, research into groundbreaking technology and life-saving medical treatments. We must continue to fight to preserve these important investments in our people and their future.

Of course, for us in Michigan, the continuing renaissance of the domestic auto industry has been vital. Growing auto sales and employment continue to demonstrate the wisdom of the federal investments in preserving this backbone of American manufacturing. Just as important as what’s happening on factory floors today is how we’re preparing for long-term competitiveness. We need to make sure we build the cars of tomorrow as well as those of today.

The announcement in December that several of our state’s companies and educational institutions will participate in a federal research consortium developing next-generation vehicle batteries means good jobs for our people now and in the future. And the continued growth of clean energy technologies–not just as sources for energy, but as a growing business for our companies—underlines the strong steps taken by our entrepreneurs, often with federal support, to build for the future.

As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I know how important a strong and innovative industrial base is to our defense. The Defense Authorization Act we passed at the end of the year draws on Michigan’s manufacturing, engineering and technological prowess in a host of ways. And in November, my wife, Barbara, and I attended the keel-laying ceremony for the USS Detroit, one of a new class of Navy vessels built to counter the security threats of the coming decades. Hundreds of Michigan workers will help build the USS Detroit and sister ships at a shipyard in Marinette, Wis., just across the state line from Menominee.

That is just the latest chapter in Michigan’s maritime heritage, a heritage inextricably linked to the Great Lakes. In 2012, Congress passed legislation I pushed for that could help improve harbor maintenance. The Senate passed a bill I authored to protect thousands of acres of wilderness at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and though the House did not pass this bill, I’m hopeful we’ll succeed in this Congress. And as co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, I helped lead bipartisan efforts to ensure adequate funding for Great Lakes preservation and restoration, including programs to protect against invasive species such as Asian carp.

I just returned from a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan, looking ahead to an important year for our policy in that region. Spending time with the brave men and women of our military is always inspiring. We are on schedule to hand over security responsibility for all of Afghanistan to that nation’s security forces. Serious challenges remain, most notably in helping develop Afghan government institutions that are effective and free of corruption.

We face no shortage of challenges entering 2013. I’m optimistic we can meet them. The people we serve expect and deserve it, and our nation’s future demands it.

Carl Levin is the senior U.S. senator from Michigan.

From the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

LANSING, MICH.— Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, the Adjutant General of the Michigan National Guard and the Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs supports the Pentagon’s decision to clear women for combat roles in the U.S. military.

“Michigan women have already served in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Vadnais said. “Expansion to allow women into ground combat units really comes as no surprise. We remain standards driven organization; the best-qualified and most capable people will successfully accomplish our missions, regardless of gender. The policy move opens up additional options for service women and provides official recognition for those serving in some of the most dangerous positions protecting our nation.”

Women are currently excluded from only 8 military specialties in the Michigan Army National Guard. Approximately 3,000 female Soldiers have deployed since 9/11. Nearly 1,000 Michigan National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are scheduled to deploy in contingency operation in the coming year.

In a Pentagon news conference earlier this week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey announced the decision to lift the ban on women serving in combat and said woman are integral to the military’s success, noting their demonstrated willingness to fight and die in combat in order to defend and protect American freedom.

The Michigan National Guard stands ready to make any and all changes necessary in accordance with Department of Defense initiatives.

By: Vonda VanTil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

Like any other successful and long-standing program or organization, there are a number of myths surrounding Social Security. Some of them are grounded in truth but just slightly misconstrued. Others are completely out of line with the truth. Let’s take a look at a few.

Myth 1: Social Security is just a retirement program.

Social Security provides benefits to retirees, survivors, and people with disabilities who can no longer work. In fact, almost seven million disabled workers and nearly two million of their dependents get Social Security disability benefits. Six and a half million dependents of deceased workers (including two million children) get Social Security survivors benefits.

Myth 2: I don’t need to save because Social Security will take care of me when I’m retired.

Social Security was never intended to be a person’s sole income in retirement; it should be combined with pension income and personal savings and investments. Your Social Security Statement, available at www.socialsecurity.gov.mystatement, is a great place to get an idea of what to expect during retirement.

Myth 3: If I work after I retire, I will be penalized.

Once you reach your full retirement age, there is no penalty and no limit on the amount you can earn. The earnings limit for workers who are younger than “full” retirement age (age 66 for people born in 1943 through 1954) is $15,120 in 2013. (We deduct $1 from benefits for each $2 earned over $15,120.) The earnings limit for people turning 66 in 2013 is $40,080. (We deduct $1 from benefits for each $3 earned over $40,080 until the month the worker turns age 66.) Keep in mind that if we withhold some of your benefits due to work, we will re-compute your monthly benefit amount when you reach full retirement age to account for those months that we withheld your benefit. There is no limit on earnings for workers who are full retirement age or older for the entire year.

Myth 4: To apply for benefits or do business with Social Security, I need to go to an office.

Not only is this false, but we encourage you to do business with us the most convenient and fastest way: at www.socialsecurity.gov

Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov

By: Vonda VanTil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

As we ring in a new year, we can expect to see a number of changes. Social Security is no exception: in 2013, people who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will see their benefits increase.

Beginning in 2013, all Social Security and SSI payments receive a 1.7 percent cost-of-living increase. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker in 2013 is $1,261 (up from $1,240 in 2012) and the average monthly Social Security benefit for a disabled worker in 2013 is $1,132 (up from $1,113 in 2012). These changes are reflected in SSI payments dated December 31, 2012 and Social Security payments dated in January 2013.

For people who receive SSI, the maximum federal payment amount has risen to $710 (up from $698).

Other Social Security changes in 2013 are worth noting. For example, a worker pays Social Security tax on up to $113,700 of annual income (up from $110,100 in 2012). A worker earns one credit after paying taxes on $1,160 in earnings in 2013 (up from $1,130). As always, a worker may earn a maximum of four credits each year and a person generally needs forty credits (or ten years of work) to be eligible for retirement benefits.

To learn more about these and other changes for 2013, visit the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov, and read the fact sheet about the changes at www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/factsheets/colafacts2013.htm.

Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov

By Sen. Carl Levin

In the waning days of the 112th Congress, the Senate approved a bill I’ve been fighting to pass to protect more than 35,000 acres of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The bill was introduced almost two years ago and made its way through a committee hearing and then a committee vote, and finally was considered by the full Senate. The House of Representatives failed to take up the bill, but Senate passage makes me optimistic we can push this important legislation across the finish line in the incoming Congress.

Senate passage was the result of years of effort by concerned citizens and community groups, local officials, the business community and the National Park Service. I’ve introduced the bill along with Sen. Debbie Stabenow in the last two Congresses to establish a wilderness area that better protects precious natural habitat while improving access to areas with recreation opportunities or historic resources.

If you haven’t visited this Michigan jewel, it’s a must-see. Stretching for 35 miles along the northern Lower Peninsula’s Lake Michigan shore, the park features towering ancient sand dunes that are the products of wind, wave and ice action over thousands of years, and are truly one of nature’s great masterworks. Just last year, ABC’s “Good Morning America” named Sleeping Bear Dunes the most beautiful place in America. The lakeshore, which encompasses more than 70,000 acres, also protects and interprets an extraordinary history of Native Americans, early pioneers, farmsteads, and maritime activities.

Unfortunately, because a requirement included in a 1982 law directs the National Park Service to manage significant portions of the park as wilderness, the public cannot access some roadways and historic areas. These areas include county roads and other areas the local community did not believe should be managed as wilderness.

Over a period of many years, the community and the National Park Service worked to revise the park’s management plan, including a new wilderness proposal, to preserve both precious habitat and public access. Our legislation excludes these features from the wilderness designation to ensure that access, recreation, and historic preservation are balanced at the lakeshore, reflecting community input.

The wilderness designation in our bill redefines the areas that should be managed as wilderness to reflect a balanced approach to conservation, recreation, and historic preservation, which are all important goals of this lakeshore. The wilderness areas are undeveloped and possess significant and valuable natural characteristics.

In contrast, developed county roads and state highways, boat launches and many historical structures have all been excluded from the wilderness designation to maintain access and recreational opportunities and ensure preservation and interpretation of historical resources. Hunting, fishing, trail use and camping at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore would continue. Motor boats would still be allowed offshore of the dunes and allowed to beach in areas adjacent to the wilderness area.

The Senate passed the bill in late December. Rep. Bill Huizenga introduced companion legislation in the House that had the bipartisan support of the Michigan delegation, and we were hopeful the House would act before the end of the 112th Congress on Jan. 3 and send the bill to President Obama. Unfortunately, the House failed to take it up, which means that the bill expires. We plan to reintroduce the bill in the 113th Congress, and Senate passage makes me optimistic that we can pass this important legislation in both chambers to ensure that the woods, waters and beaches of Sleeping Bear Dunes will remain unspoiled for countless generations to enjoy.

Carl Levin is the senior U.S. senator from Michigan.

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, announced the agency is expanding the services available with a “my Social Security account,” a personalized online account that people can use beginning in their working years and continuing throughout the time they receive Social Security benefits. More than 60 million Social Security beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients can now access their benefit verification letter, payment history, and earnings record instantly using their online account. Social Security beneficiaries also can change their address and start or change direct deposit information online.

“We are making it even easier for people to do their business with us from the comfort of their home, office, or library,” Commissioner Astrue said. “I encourage people of all ages to take advantage of our award-winning online services and check out the new features available through an online my Social Security account.”

Social Security beneficiaries and SSI recipients with a my Social Security account can go online and get an official benefit verification letter instantly. The benefit verification letter serves as proof of income to secure loans, mortgages and other housing, and state or local benefits. Additionally, people use the letter to prove current Medicare health insurance coverage, retirement or disability status, and age. People can print or save a customized letter.

Social Security processed nearly nine million requests for benefit verification letters in the past year. This new online service allows people to conduct business with Social Security without having to visit an office or make a phone call, and very often wait for a letter to arrive in the mail. It also will reduce the time spent by employees completing these requests and free them to focus on other workloads.

People age 18 and older can sign up for an account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Once there, they must be able to provide information about themselves and answers to questions that only they are likely to know. After completing the secure verification process, people can create a my Social Security account with a unique user name and password to access their information.

People age 18 and older who are not receiving benefits can sign up for a my Social Security account to get a personalized online Social Security Statement. The online Statement provides

eligible workers with secure and convenient access to their Social Security earnings and benefit information, and estimates of future benefits they can use to plan for their retirement. In addition, the portal also includes links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability and Medicare.

“Given our significantly reduced funding, we have to find innovative ways to continue to meet the needs of the American people without compromising service,” said Commissioner Astrue. “These new enhancements will allow us to provide faster service to more people in more places.”

For more information, please go to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Goodbye Roger

This was the last, and will be the last column written by Roger. He succumbed to his long battle with illness on Saturday, January 5, 2013 (see front page). It is a great sadness that his words will no longer appear in print in the two newspapers he founded. It makes my heart break that he will no longer brighten the day of so many with his special wit and observations. He was much like his column. That was Roger.

And, besides his family, the thing he loved most were these two newspapers, The Rockford Squire and The Cedar Springs Post. Neither would have existed at all if not for his spark, his dedication and his love of these little local newspapers. Publishing weekly through Y2K, Google, the financial crisis, war, the internet explosion and so many odds stacked against them, they have survived.

Now owned and operated by his two daughters, he was always there for us, just a phone call away with a cheerful tone and a way of calming the worst of days. He was our father, our teacher, our rock, and our best friend. We hope we made him proud.

Goodbye Roger, we’ll miss you.

When things get crazy

Wow. The world of hourly or daily news sometimes has dull days but there are times when everything happens at once. Last week made me glad this paper is a hometown weekly. We didn’t have to rush around to cover the explosions and deaths in the Middle East or the “storm of the century” that tore up much of the East Coast or, of course, the General scandal. All those news stories have had breaking developments that Big News operations must continue to chase.

Having had experience with FEMA, I can speak confidently that the East Coast storm story alone will last for weeks. I’ve seen lots of houses off their foundations. It will take $billions to repair these losses and thousands of print inches and broadcast hours to talk about them.

Getting a weekly paper out sometimes seems hectic but, in comparison, you’d probably have to say it’s pretty relaxing.

When things go bad

Three weeks after the wedding day, Sally called her minister. “Reverend,” she wailed, “John and I have had a TERRIBLE fight!”

“Calm down, my child,” said the minister. “It’s not half as bad as you think. Every marriage has to have its first fight.”

“I know, I know!” said Sally. “But what am I going to do with the body?”

‘Tis the season

An old man in Phoenix calls his son in New York. “I hate to ruin your day,” he says, “but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing. Forty-five years of misery is enough.”

“Pop, what are you talking about?” yells the son.

“We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the old man says. “We’re sick and tired of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.” And he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, “Like heck they’re getting a divorce!” she shouts. “I’ll take care of this.”

She calls Phoenix immediately and screams at her father, “You are NOT getting divorced! Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back right now and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” And she hangs up.

The old man turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says. “They’re coming for Christmas and they’re paying their own way.”

’Tis the season, blond edition

The blonde goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. She says to the clerk, “May I have 50 stamps?”

“What denomination?” asks the clerk.

“God help us,” says the woman. “Has it come to this? Give me six Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists.”

By Lee Hamilton

We are locked in a seemingly permanent debate over the proper size and scope of government. It was a centerpiece of the recent presidential campaign. It features heavily in the ongoing maneuvering over the “fiscal cliff” and the upcoming vote on raising the debt ceiling. And it surfaces regularly in the speeches and comments of politicians and opinion leaders who either take the government to task for growing too large or argue that it needs to play an even more active role than it does now.

I don’t expect this argument to end anytime soon — after all, it’s been a feature of political life for as long as any of us can remember. But no matter how we view the role of government, there’s one thing most of us do agree on: whatever government does, it should do it well.

Recently, I read a compelling speech by a prominent corporate CEO who criticized the federal government for creating an environment of uncertainty and stifling the engines of market growth — and then went on to lay out plans for economic renewal that all involved the government: a revamped education policy, more investment in infrastructure and in basic research, changes to the tax code to reward innovation. His speech underscores a basic truth about American life: we can argue about the fine points of its reach, but the importance of government’s role in our lives is inescapable.

This does not mean that government is the answer to everything — far from it. Nor, however, does the anti-government rhetoric that so often marks our politics show much sign of being rooted in reality. When we want to build roads and bridges, operate schools and keep our cities safe, create conditions under which businesses can thrive, respond to natural disasters or attacks on our security, we turn to government at some level. And we expect the people who run it — the leaders as well as those on the front lines — to be good at what they do.

As Alexander Hamilton put it, “A government ill-executed, whatever may be the theory, in practice is poor government.” You don’t want second-rate scientists doing cancer research, second-rate lawyers negotiating arms control treaties, second-rate bureaucrats helping your community recover from a hurricane or flooding, second-rate inspectors making sure your hamburger is free from e. coli, or second-rate air traffic controllers guiding your plane through crowded airspace. None of us wants to live with a government that is incompetent in the exercise of its important functions.

For this reason, Americans are not as anti-government in practice as their “get government off our backs” rhetoric would often suggest. We turn again and again to government to solve the problems we complain about. And however easy it might be to rail against Washington or against “big government,” it’s the institutions of government you turn to when you need them.

Constructive criticism of Congress is always appropriate, but the anti-government language that so often gets bandied about creates distrust of the very institutions we rely on to meet the challenges and solve the problems that confront us as a nation. I sometimes find myself wondering how far we can erode confidence in our officials and our government and still have a country that works.

Whatever the particular policies of a given administration, whatever programs are enacted by the Congress, the American public is entitled to have those policies and programs administered effectively, efficiently and competently. This cannot be done without skillful civil servants and a steady stream of talented people who are attracted to public service.

My sense is that the public is demanding more from government, not in size, but in performance. Americans want government to work better for less, and the only way to achieve this is for government to become more effective and productive in dealing with the challenges before us.

Lee Hamilton is Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

Wake up America

It’s 3:00 a.m. the morning after, can’t sleep! Thinking and praying for hurting people in a little town, much like our town, in Connecticut.

Yesterday (December 14, 2012), across our Nation people were weeping in public places, and no doubt asking “Why would a Great Almighty God allow this to happen?” And how would I know? Then my mind turns to millions of babies who never had the fun of even going to kindergarten, and even if they had an opportunity to attend school, the teacher would not be allowed to read God’s Holy Word or pray with them. Why, because we might offend a family who believes in some other god. Our founding father, George Washington, didn’t commit or great Nation to those other so called gods. Our prayer should be “Lord God please don’t let this happen in our little town of Cedar Springs.” Friends, let us not slumber or sleep. Put God first, please take your children to the church of your choice. If you don’t, the next shooter might be already sitting at your dinner table. I’m reasonably certain that the murdered mother, of that son gone insane, could never imagine she was raising a boy so devious.

Wake up America – turn back to God – and He will heal our land.

Bob Truesdale

Cedar Springs