AU. S. West German social security agreement that became effective last Dec. I provides potential for additional benefit protection for persons who worked in West Germany or were victims of Nazi persecution, the U.S. Social Security Administration has emphasized.
Administration officials have urgently suggested all who may consider themselves eligible for new benefits or increased benefits as a result of the agreement should apply promptly at their local Social Security district office. Thus for some 2000 persons have applied to the Administration’s local offices in large cities across the country, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency was informed while obtaining details of the agreement from the Administration.
The agreement provides for the possibility of combining U.S. social security credits with existing West German social security credits if the individual is not already entitled to a West German social security benefit, in addition, victims of Nazi persecution who are both U.S. citizens and U.S. residents will have an opportunity to make retroactive voluntary contributions to the German system for periods during which they lost employment or educational opportunities as a result of the persecution.
NOV. 30, 1980 DEADLINE
These victims will have until Nov. 30, 1980 to apply to the German social security system for the right to make retroactive contributions which in some cases can apply to periods beginning as early as February, 1933.
If an individual has some credits under German law — at least 18 months — the German social security system will then take into account the U.S. social security credits to determine whether the applicant meets the credit requirements for a German benefit. If the applicant has enough U.S. and German credits combined to meet what Germany would require from a German applicant, West Germany will then pay a benefit based on the actual credits that the applicant does have in Germany.
For example, an individual has 24 months of contributions in Germany which alone would give him no German benefit. He later gets 13 years of credit in the U.S. social security system. The two combined equal 15 years which is sufficient under German low to entitle the individual to a benefit from Germany. The agreement will permit this combining to take place and Germany will then pay a benefit based on the 24 months of contribution in Germany.
VARIOUS OPTIONS OUTLINED
Persons who are victims of Nazi persecution who had substantial contributions in the German system before their persecution began but not enough to qualify for a benefit will have an opportunity either to combine their German and U.S. contributions to the German system in order to become entitled to full benefits under the German system.
If they have at least five years of compulsory contributions under the German system alone, the U.S. system alone or both systems combined, they will then be permitted to make retroactive contributions voluntarily in order to complete the number of contributions needed.
Those victims of Nazi persecution who never made compulsory contributions in Germany but had their educations interrupted as a result of the persecution will also be permitted to make retroactive voluntary contributions in Germany if they have at least five years of credit under the U.S. system. These individuals should very carefully consider their options before making any of these contributions since whether it would be advantageous depends on many circumstances in each individual case, the Social Security Administration cautioned.
Persons who were in fact making voluntary contributions to the German system up to October, 1972 after which German law no longer permitted them to do so, will be enabled by the agreement to pay contributions retroactive to that date and into the future.
Persons seeking information about this agreement should inquire at their local Social Security office and ask for the brochure that has been published by the U.S. Social Security Administration, prepared in consultation with German Social Security authorities.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
