Page 9 - Senior Times South Central Michigan April 2023 - 30-04

Updates on Your
SOCIAL SECURITY
Hillary Hatch, Special to Senior Times
PLAN YOUR RETIREMENT WITH SOCIAL SECURITY
BATTLE CREEK HOUSING COMMISSION
SENIOR HOUSING
The Battle Creek Housing Commission Provides Seniors Comfortable Living at an Affordable Price!
Social Security benefits factor into the retirement plan of almost every American worker. If you are covered under Social Security, you should know how much you might receive in future benefits. These monthly payments are likely to be an important part of your retirement income.
The Retirement page at www.ssa. gov/retirement is a great place to start mapping out your retirement plan and to consider:
We base your benefit payment on how much you earned during your working career. Higher lifetime earn- ings result in higher benefits. If there were some years you didn’t work or had low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than if you had worked steadily or had higher earnings. Even
if you never worked and did not pay Social Security taxes, you may be eligi- ble for benefits from a spouse’s record. You must be at least 62 years old, and your spouse must already be receiving retirement or disability benefits.
• Which factors may affect your retire- ment benefits?
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“The Winter that Wasn’t.” Who would have guessed that we would
be experiencing the mildest winter in most of our lifetimes. I certainly don’t remember anything like this year. Maybe Mark Twain was right, “If you don’t like the weather in Michigan
– wait five minutes!” So we’re expe- riencing the winter that I’ve dreamed of... and yet there’s something not right about not having drifting piles of snow to remove and high energy bills piling up from the depths of winter’s fury.
Not that I’m complaining mind you, but now I’m thinking... what’s next?
A late-April blizzard? A cool-wet sum- mer? A blistering heat-wave from May to September? We’ll find out for sure.
driven, war-ravaged, financially-unsta- ble 21st Century world don’t you think? He also said, “In this world you will always have trouble... but take heart, I have overcome the world.”
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In the big picture of life... this weather is small stuff. And someone said, don’t sweat the small stuff. Jesus said, “Don’t worry about what you’re going to eat or going to wear... God will take care of you, just as sure as He’s taking care of the plants and
the birds of the air...” (Luke 12:22) because you’re of much more worth than the creatures of this earth. In fact He said, “Don’t worry about anything... but pray about everything!” (Phil. 4:6) Pretty good advice in our anxiety-
It’s interesting to me that at the beginning of Genesis, that God made everything there is and said it was good... But after God made people in God’s image... he said, “This is VERY GOOD!” So please remember that God is with you and God is on your side.
He is absolutely delighted with you (in spite of anything, and I mean anything in your past) and that is why he came in person to this planet that he made pos- sible. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, whether you’re starting today by reading this column or whether you have decades of relation- ship with the Creator, he has something better in mind for you in this world and particularly in the world to come that is promised.
Providing services for Veterans and their families.
Challenges
Federal Benefits and Programs Emergency Assistance Benefits County Burial Benefits
(269) 969-6735
190EastMichiganAvenue,ThirdFloor Battle Creek, Michigan calhounvets.com
Faith
benefits.
• Medicare.
105 Capital Ave., NE 269-962-5527 www.farleyestesdowdle.com
BATTLE CREEK • AUGUSTA RICHLAND
• When is the right time for you to start receiving your retirement benefits?
• What documents you may need to provide Social Security for your retirement application?
You can use your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa. gov/myaccount to get an instant esti- mate of your future retirement benefits. You can also see the effects of starting your retirement benefits at different ages.
CHERRY HILL MANOR
• One Bedroom Apartments
• Located on Public Bus Line
• Residents’ Community Rm & Meals
• Computer/Card Game Rm./Library
• Parking next to Building
• Antenna & Cable Options
• Pet Friendly Building
• Utilities included/
Online Rent Payment Option
• Secured Building Entry/ Brick Construction
Cherry Hill Manor
Located at 10 Clay St.
Kellogg Manor
Located at 250 Champion St.
KELLOGG MANOR
• Studio & One Bedroom Apartments • Located on Public Bus Line
• Residents’ Community Room
• Some Garages Available/
Pkg. Next to Bldg.
• Antenna & Cable Options
• Pet Friendly Building
• Utilities Included/
Online Rent Payment Option
• Secured Building Entry/ Brick Construction
APPLY AT 250 Champion St. Monday-Friday
7am-noon or 1-4pm 965-0591 www.battlecreekhousing.org
You may also be wondering about: • Benefits for a spouse or children.
• How work affects your benefits.
• If you will have to pay taxes on your
MATTERS
Rev. Dr. James Gysel, Special to Senior Times
DON'T’ SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
So, don’t sweat the small stuff... and the big stuff has been cared for already by God himself. The question of course is will you and I trust that to be true. If you’re trusting, that’s called faith.
So keep the faith, and allow the spirit to work in your life... one precious day at a time.
~ Faithfully yours, Jim Gysel
Senior Times - April 2023 Page 9
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