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Newspaper Archive of
The Goldendale Sentinel
Goldendale , Washington
April 19, 2017     The Goldendale Sentinel
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April 19, 2017
 
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4 --April 19, 2017 GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON Dear Savvy Senior, I'm considering retiring later this year and starting my Social Se- curity benefits, but would also like to work part time. Will this affect my benefits, and if so, how much? Ready to Retire Dear Ready, You can collect Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time, but depending on how old you are and how much you earn, some or all of your benefits could be temporarily withheld. Here's what you should know. Working rules Social Security says that if you're under your full retirement age-which is 66 if you were born between 1943 and 1954, or 66 and 2 months if you were born in 1955--and are collecting benefits, then you can earn up to $16,920 in 2017 without jeopardizing any of your Social Security if you don't reach your full retirement age this year. But if you earn more than the $16,920 limit, you'll lose $1 in benefits for every $2 over that amount. In the year you reach your full retirement age, a less stringent rule applies. If that happens in 2017, you can earn up to $44,880 from January to the month of your birthday with no penalty, But if you earn more than $44,880 dur- ing that time, you'll lose $1 in benefits for every $3 over that limit. And once your birthday pass- es, you can earn any amount by working with- out your benefits being reduced at all. Wages, bonuses, commissions, and vacation dim Miller pay all count toward the income limits, but pen- sions, annuities, investment earnings, interest, capital gains and government or military re- tirement benefits do not. To figure out how much your specific earn- ings will affect your benefits, see the Social Security Retirement Earnings Test Calculator at SSA.gov/OACT/COLA/RTeffect.html. It's also important to know that if you do lose some or all of your Social Security benefits because of the earning limits, they aren't lost forever. When you reach full retirement age, your benefits will be recalculated to a higher amount to make up for what was with- held. For details and examples of how this is calculated, see SSA.gov/planners/retire/whileworking2.html. For more information on how working can affect your Social Se- curity benefits see SSA.gov/planners/retire/whileworking.html, or call the Social Security at 410-965-2039 and ask to receive a free copy of publication number 05-10069, "How Work Affects Your Benefits." Tax factor In addition to the Social Security rules, you need to factor in Uncle Sam too. Because working increases your income, it might make your Social Security benefits taxable. Here's how it works. If the sum of your adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest, and half of your Social Security benefits is be- tween $25,000 and $34,000 for individuals ($32,000 and $44,000 for cou- ples), you have to pay tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. Above $34,000 ($44,000 for couples), you could pay on up to 85 percent, which is the highest portion of Social Security that is taxable. About a third of all people who get Social SecuriW have to pay in- come taxes on their benefits. For information, call the INS at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy of publication 915 "Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits," or you can see it online at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf. In addition to the federal government, 13 states--Colorado, Con- necticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Vir- ginia-tax Social Security benefits to some extent too. If you live in one of these states, you'll need to check with your state tax agency for details. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, NO. Box 5443, Nor- man, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book. Constitution.com 2o17 THE NITY Opponents of the Sheriff's signs The signs don' t say we don't have a serious drug work problem in our county I wonder how many of our citizens have to I write as a concerned property die from drug overdose before it owner here in Klickitat County. I can be considered a "serious drug have three concerns with Sheriff problem." Is it one death. Is it two Songer's signs that are popping up deaths? (We are already over two around the county warning drug deaths this year.) How many over- dealers not to linger in our commu- dose cases should our EMTs re- nities. In order of importance: spond to for there to be a serious • The real message the signs con- problem. How many of our school kids exposed to drugs are needed vey is: "This community has a drug problem. Don't buy property for it to be serious. I say that if here as land values may drop." Is even one drug dealer sells one ille- this true for each community gal drug in our county, that it is a where a sign goes up? Do we want serious problem. to convey this image of our neigh- By statute, Bob is sworn to pro- borhoods? tect our citizens and to enforce our • The signs are campaign signs state laws. I have not seen in the for the sheriff. While every citizen sheriff's job description that he is has a First Amendment right to to be providing addiction court- put political messages on his or her selling assistance. Even so, our property, these signs should not be sheriff has on multiple occasions paid for with public funds, publically given out his personal • The signs are silly If it were ceil phone number, stating that he really that easy to deter economic will personally help anyone who crime, I would encourage more really wants assistance be directed signs against car theft, and bur- to the resources where they can get glary, and such. assistance with their addictions. Klickitat County seems to be While the sheriff's warning struggling with itself. Mayors and signs may seem harsh, they are not towns are looking to build new in- nearly as harsh as the reality of dustries, especially in tourism. Yet our youths who become addicted to the county's leadership seems un- these drugs or the deaths that have welcoming, with a "go away and already occurred in Klickitat leave us alone" attitude. Am I County this year from overdoses of wrong? illegal drugs. Sandy DeMent Scott Robinson Wahkiacus Goldendale The signs work I want to applaud Sheriff Bob Songer for caring enough about his county to declare drug dealers per- sona non grata in Klickitat County Market can't be forced I have heard Congresswoman Herrera Beutler speak many times about the positive effects "market forces" would have if certain changes were made to healthcare. I may be missing something, but ac- cording to her biography, she has spent her entire working life in pol- itics, not in a work environment in- volved with market forces--the ones where layoffs are common, where factories close and move out of the country I think she needs to allow a broader understanding of "market forces." Other market forces that de- serve mention include the banking system mortgage behavior that re- sulted in the 2008 meltdown, the re- cent Wells Fargo employees abuse of clients, and Mylan's massive in- crease in the cost of Epipen. According to Rep. Herrera Beut- ler, we are to expect that insurance companies will act in the best in- terest of the public in creating poli- cies if we allow market forces to work. I am more than skeptical. Companies are in business to make money They will only bend to the public need when there are specific rules they are forced to follow. I spent the last 30 years of my working life in a business involv- ing "market forces." I experienced first-hand when my company, with- out notice, closed our office and es- corted all employees off the premises for bottom line reasons. Market forces are not evil. They are a fact of business. However, to assume that these market forces will be benevolent is more than naive. I believe Rep. Herrera Beut- ler needs quite a bit more experi- ences with the market forces. Ken Margraf Goldendale THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF KLICKITAT COUNTY, WASHINGTON ESTABLISHED 1879 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM OFFICES AT 117 W. MAIN • GOLDENDALE, WA 98620 TELEPHONE (509) 773-3777 • FAX (509) 314-4201 EDITORIAL ." Lou MARZELES, EDITOR & PUBLISHER JARYD CLYNE, SPORTS EDITOR JESS MACINKO, NEWS EDITOR EMAIL: NEVVS@GOLDENDALESENTIN EL.COM (NEWS, EDITORIAL, OBITUARIES, LETTERS); CALENDAR@GOLDENDALESENTINEL.COM (EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES); ADS@GOLDEN DALESENTINEL.COM (ADVERTISING INFO AND INQUIRIES); LEGALS@GOLDENDALESENTIN EL.COM (LEGAL AND PUBLIC NOTICES) LESLIE BUSINESS AND OFFICE STAFF: GEATCHES, CO-PUBLISHER, AD DESIGN KARIE ELLIS, CIRCULATION MANAGER AMY REEVES, ADMIN ASSISTANT ANNE ANDERSON, BOOKKEEPING Deadlines: News and Letters: Noon Friday Display Advertising: 5 p.m. Friday Classified Advertising: Noon Monday Legal Notices: 5 p.m. Monday Subscriptions: Year, 2 Years Goldendale Carrier: $32, $52 In Klickitat County: $32, $52 Outside Klickitat County: $42, $75 USPS 2213-6000 WEEKLY. Periodical postage paid at Goldendale Post Dffice, Goldendale, Wash. 98620. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ]'he Goldendale Sentinel, 117 W. Main St. Goldendale, WA 98620-9526. FOLKS RIB Us E4 CUZ We ALWAYS SIT HI RI DRINKIN'COFFEEAN' SOLVIN'TH' WORLD,S PROBLEMS... YA bCFAN -- WHO LSe WOULD SOLV F TH' WORLP S PROBLEMS? NAAHt WHO eLse WOULD rills COFFEt ? GUIDELINES FOR LETTERS signatures, or pted. keep the tone of letters free of rants or wild speculation or unsubstantiated claims. Let- in any of these directions may be refused publication. must include name, city of residence, and phone number for verification purposes. Street address is not required, only city or town.