Info for veterans planning retirement

[rivars]

Please share this with anyone who\'s had active duty service prior to January 202 and planning for retirement. In a nutshell it boils down to this: You qualify for a higher social security payment because of your military service, for active duty anytime from 1940 through 2001 (the program was done away with in January 2002). Up to $1200.00 per year of earnings credit credited at time of application - which can make a substantial difference in social security monthly payments upon your retirement. You must bring your DD-214 to the Social Security Office - and you must ask for this benefit to receive it!

http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm

[GaryRobinson]

I have a brother and a brother-in-law both of whom got this. I read about this several years ago and passed the informaiton to them. They took their DD214\'s to Social Security office and both got increases. It wasn\'t a large amount but for older folks on fixed income every little bit helps.

[EClark]

I agree I took my DD214 with me and got a little more on the month

[tinwhistle]

I\'m way late in my reply to this thread, but you guys that are retired know how things get put off. I thought that the military service connection and Social Security

warrented looking into. Checking in with the local S.S. office and calling the national toll free number I received about the same reply. The only time that your military service will have an impact on your S.S. check is if you didn\'t get in enough quarters or your income was below a certain leval. If that is the case then maybe you could receive an increase. When I retired I called ahead and made an appointment and my DD214 was one of the documents they told me to bring along. In my case my military service made no difference in my monthly check. :S Chris