Harry Gross | Right-o: Social Security goes to those who paid in

Dear Harry: I know one of the main reasons that Social Security is in trouble. I am 57 years old, retired and very happy living in Cape May, N.J. Twice I have seen articles on Social Security and written to the columnist, only to get no response. I need to know how and why people get Social Security who have never paid into it. In most cases, these are foreigners who come here and, before long, are getting Social Security. Isn't this benefit supposed to be for people who have worked and have paid into it? Aren't they the only people who should receive it? Last week, my pal went to sign up for Social Security and told me that the only Americans there were the employees, and the place was packed with foreigners.

What Harry says: There was a time when people who had reached retirement age were entitled to get benefits even though they had never had wages subject to the payroll taxes. By now, they are either dead or well beyond 100 years old. I know of no provision in effect that would provide for benefits other than for workers who have paid into the system or their survivors. I hope you're not just showing a prejudice against the foreign-born among us.

Dear Harry: Years ago, I was employed by a company that had a profit-sharing plan for retirement. I'm enclosing a letter I received from my boss when I inquired about the plan. It says that I'm fully vested in the plan, and I can count on getting a pension when I'm released from prison. The reason I inquired about the plan is that I'm turning 65 this summer and that is the normal retirement age. My family can use that money now. It's been very hard for them since I was convicted, and this pension could go a long way toward making it a less trying time for them. Can the company hold the money until I'm released? I have five more years to go.

What Harry says: I cannot find any regulation that permits the pension administrator to hold the pension while a person is incarcerated. Do contact the Employee Benefits Security Administration at 800-861-5300. They are on the ball in cases like yours, and you can count on their help. Good luck!

Dear Harry: We live in a large rental apartment complex in the near suburbs. Our rent is $2,007 a month. We are 69 years old and have a number of health issues. Among them is obstructive pulmonary disease. I use oxygen, a nebulizer and several different prescription medications. During last winter (2006-07), we had numerous problems with our heat. Sometimes it would be out for two or three days. We have contacted the maintenance department exactly 15 times and we have copies of all the work orders which we got when the technicians finished their work. The complex has a "hospitality suite" in the building, but at no time were we permitted to use that facility. When the technician was unable to fix the problem in an early visit, he left a space heater with us that was barely able to heat our bathroom. The management has clearly violated our lease by not providing adequate heat. No one has even deigned to discuss the problem with us. In May, we notified management in writing that we intend to vacate by Sept. 1 for health reasons that they have known about since day one. They sent us a letter saying that they will require full payment of the rent due for the rest of the lease before they will permit us to move. The lease is up at the end of the year. Please help us.

What Harry says: These toads have indeed broken the lease. By not providing adequate heat, they have made you the victim of "constructive eviction." You'll need a lawyer to go to court to get these toads off your back. Why did you wait so long to contact me?

Dear Harry: I can fully understand why Sallie Mae is being investigated. They are very inefficient. I have written to them twice concerning their two letters to me (about a week apart) regarding consolidation of my son's school loans. These loans were consolidated with them months ago. I hope my last letter to them does the trick. They must have their records in terrible shape to allow this to happen. Do major financial institutions just have incompetent help, or are their computer programmers always out-to-lunch?

What Harry says: I wish I knew the answer. I have had similar occasions when I felt that the left hand did not know what the right was doing. Sometimes it's just that people have no incentive to take the time to follow up on actions they take. Corrections are left to someone else to do. A personal example: It took me almost four months with dozens of calls to finally get a mobile-phone bill straightened out. The only answer I have is that "persistence, and persistence alone, is omnipotent."

Dear Harry: On Oct. 10, 2006, my husband and I applied for a home-equity loan at our bank. After having an opportunity to read the documents, we advised the bank (orally and in writing) that we were canceling the application. On Feb. 23, 2007, the city of Philadelphia advised us that the bank had placed a lien on our home. We went to the bank several times to get them to clear this up. They confirmed numerous times that they had no outstanding loans against us.

They asked for the page number and line of the deed book where the lien was recorded, which we supplied them. It took until March 17 for them to send us a letter saying that the loan was "satisfied." Harry, there never was a loan so how could it be satisfied? After numerous calls and visits, we were finally told that we would have to take their letter to the Recorder of Deeds to get the lien removed. They indicated that this was the normal procedure when a mortgage was paid off. We feel that this was clearly their error, and they should get the wheels moving at City Hall. We also informed them by certified mail, but have no response. Do you agree with us? What can we do to get them to act?

What Harry says: Sure, it is their responsibility! Try one more certified letter demanding action within 10 days and threatening legal action if they in any way have injured your credit. Give them two weeks. It may be easier to get the records straightened out by a visit to the Recorder's Office. Also, get a copy of your credit report to see if you were hurt (annualcredi

treport.com). Follow through if they have hurt your credit by sending the credit agency a copy of the last letter the bank sent you. You might also want to see a lawyer about suing the bank for injuring your credit.*
source:www.philly.com