The Press-Dispatch
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$5 $10 $5 $10 $15 FREE FREE Dear Rusty: I started drawing my benefits at age 62 due to being laid off from my job at age 60. I have continued working part time and been paying Social Security and Medicare taxes ever since. I am now 66. I have been told that even though I continue to pay these taxes, it will not help increase my monthly so- cial security benefit. Is that true? Signed: Working Ben- eficiary. Dear Working Beneficia- ry: Paying into Social Securi- ty and Medicare through "FI- CA" taxes withheld from your paycheck doesn't change your Social Security (SS) benefit amount. Those taxes aren't held in a separate per- sonal account for you; rather they are used to pay benefits to all those who currently col- lect SS benefits, and to help offset healthcare costs for current Medicare enrollees. From its inception decades ago, Social Security has been a "pay as you go" sys- tem where all those working help pay for all those current- ly collecting benefits. And if you happen to work even af- ter you start collecting So- cial Security benefits, the FI- CA tax you pay still goes to help pay benefits for you and for mil- lions of others al- so collecting So- cial Security. Of the 7.65 percent FICA tax you pay, 6.2 percent goes to Social Security and 1.45 per- cent helps fund Medicare (your employer pays the same amounts). The 6.2 per- cent SS tax you pay to Social Security isn't deposited in- to a personal account which determines your benefit pay- ment. Instead, your benefit is determined using your earn- ings record for the 35 years over your lifetime in which you earned the most (with early years adjusted for in- flation). Your average earn- ings in those 35 years are what determines your bene- fit amount, not how much you paid in FICA tax. Thus, continuing to pay FI- CA taxes because you are still working won't af- fect your Social Security benefit amount. And be- cause of the way the program is structured, you don't need to worry about how much you con- tributed to So- cial Security in taxes; you will continue to receive Social Se- curity for as long as there are people working and contrib- uting to the program (for the rest of your life) — those now working pay for Social Secu- rity benefits now being paid. What could, however, af- fect your personal SS benefit amount now is your earnings level while working. Even af- ter you start collecting So- cial Security benefits, if your current earnings from work are more than any of those in the 35 inflation-adjusted years used to originally com- pute your benefit, that bene- fit will be recomputed and in- creased as appropriate. And just in case you're wondering, studies have shown that, on average, SS beneficiaries usu- ally recover everything they paid into the system with- in about five years. Said an- other way, over your lifetime you'll almost certainly get back much more in benefits than you paid in FICA SS tax- es. The pay-back time is more for those who are self-em- ployed (because they must pay both employee and em- ployer portions of FICA), but Social Security is, neverthe- less, a pretty good deal which pays a guaranteed retirement benefit for as long as you live after benefits start. So, what you were told is correct. Paying FICA taxes now won't help increase your monthly benefit amount. But high earnings now, which are more than any in those 35 in- flation-adjusted years used to compute your SS benefit, will. To submit a question, vis- it website (amacfoundation. org/programs/social-secu- rity-advisory) or email ssad- visor@amacfoundation.org. Lawn professionals and ag producers are a little ner- vous here at the end of the sea- son due to the appearance of a familiar pest, the fall army- worm. These little larvae have had reports of their presence all over southern Indiana, with Posey County seeing higher numbers than in most years. How long until they go away? What can be done about them? How will I know if I have them? Let's answer those questions in reverse order, just as a bla- tant excuse for me to break the fourth wall. Fall armyworms look like caterpillars. Perhaps a bit on the small side, maxing out at an inch to inch and a half in length, they have charac- teristic striping. Three yel- low-white hairlines down their backs with a wider dark stripe on either side of the hairline is an indication that you need to pick one up to confirm that it is indeed armyworm. When you do pick one up, they'll leave a greenish-yellow liquid on your hand. That liquid is of no concern. While inspecting closely, look for a "Y" on the head of the in- sect. The tops of the "Y" will be on the top of the head, with the base of the "Y" extending towards the in- sect body. If the "Y" exists on the back end of the in- sect, you're holding it wrong. Symptoms of armyworms nearby include quickly dy- ing grasses, unusually large amounts of paper wasps, and hundreds of flattened dead worms in the street where someone drove over them while they were making their way across the road en masse. Where armyworms do ex- ist, treatment options are fair- ly straight-forward. For farm- ers concerned about corn and soybean crops, econom- ic thresholds do exist. First, fall armyworm do not like soybean as much as corn, but they can do some foliar dam- age. If armyworms are pres- ent and likely to cause 35 per- cent defoliation prior to R7 (be- ginning matu- rity, when one pod on the stem is mature), then a spray is justi- fied. A fter R7, fi- nal yield should not be affected. In corn, the armyworms make their way to the cob itself and begin feeding on the kernels. This late in the year, any leaf feeding will be relatively su- perficial. If worms are show- ing up on over 50 per cent of the plants, and those worms are less than 1.25 inches long, a spray may help keep them out of the kernels. Worms over 1.25 inches long are close to pupating and have already done most of their damage. For those with yards or pas- tures, armyworms can defoli- ate an area the size of a foot- ball field in two to three days. An insecticide pass is justified whenever numbers of any size begin to appear. How long can we expect them to be an issue? Army- worms have a two to three- week egg hatch to grown lar- vae life cycle, after which they will burrow into the soil and emerge as adults 10 days lat- er. The infestation we current- ly see could cycle through in- termittently, meaning that all life cycles will be present for the next few weeks. However, armyworms hate cold weath - er and do not overwinter here. The first good cold snap will slow or stop them altogether. Finding a food source will al- ter their habits as well when harvest begins. Although armyworm infestations can cause a lot of damage, they generally hurt a lot less than failing a milk crate challenge. For more information on fall armyworm, contact Hans at the Purdue Extension – Posey County office via hschmitz@ purdue.edu or 812-838 -1331. Set the thermostat where you want for a more comfortable home. The Ultimate Wood Heat. *US Internal Revenue Code Sec. 25(D) effective Jan. 1, 2021, for heating a residence. For more details visit CentralBoiler.com. Information provided here as a convenience and may not be relied upon as substitute for professional tax advice. Consult a tax professional with any questions. **EPA cord wood Hydronic Heater list 1-6-2021 The Classic Edge HDX is U.S. EPA Certified CentralBoiler.com 21-0402 ©2021 Central Boiler – Ad Number 21-0402 Dealership Name Address, City, State Phone / Website Set the thermostat where you want for a more comfortable home. 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Outdoor Wood Furnace The Classic Edge HDX is U.S. EPA Certified on qualified models & installation *US Internal Revenue Code Sec. 25(D) effective Jan. 1, 2021, for heating a residence. For more details visit CentralBoiler.com. Information provided here as a convenience and may not be relied upon as substitute for professional tax advice. Consult a tax professional with any questions. **EPA cord wood Hydronic Heater list 1-6-2021 • Highest Efficiency Certified by EPA** • Peace of Mind - Keep the fire outside and eliminate the dangers associated with indoor wood heating. • Save Money - Wood is a renewable, inexpensive and often free energy source. • Durability - Long-lasting, stainless steel firebox. DOUG SEITZ CONSTRUCTION, LLC 1983 E. THIRD AVE. • JASPER 812 - 482-2221 • Highest Efficiency Certified by EPA** • Peace of Mind - Keep the fire outside and eliminate the dangers associated with indoor wood heating. • Save Money - Wood is a renewable, inexpensive and often free energy source. • Durability - Long-lasting, stainless steel firebox. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness month For many, the subject of sui- cide is off limits. They believe that the mere mention of sui- cide around friends and fami- ly can cause suicidal thoughts in those friends and family. Nothing could be further from the truth. Approximately 47,500 Americans died by their own hand in 2019, making sui- cide the 10th leading cause of death in this nation. Sui- cide rates in the U.S. have climbed 33 percent in the last decade. One of the ways we can reduce that number is by talking about suicide and sui- cidal ideation. Doing so can spur meaningful conversa- tions about mental health and potentially save lives. Even more concerning is that suicide and suicide at- tempts among our nation's youth (ages 10 -24) are on the rise. According to information released last year by the CDC, roughly 19 percent of youth had seriously considered at- tempting suicide, nearly 16 percent had made a suicide plan, almost 9 percent had made a suicide attempt, and 2.5 percent had made a sui- cide attempt that was signif- icant enough to require medi- cal treatment. Join the conversation, and reach out to those who have been personally affected by suicide, raise awareness, and connect those struggling with suicidal ideation to profession- al counselors and treatment services that can help them. If your child or someone you love is struggling with depression or thinking about suicide, get help now. The Na- tional Suicide Prevention Life- line, 1-800 -273-TALK (8255), is a free resource, available 24 hours a day for anyone who is in suicidal crisis or emotion- al distress. The Crisis Text Line is a free 24/7 text line where trained crisis counsel- ors support individuals in cri- sis. Text "Jason" to 741741 to speak with a compassionate, trained Crisis Counselor. Con- fidential support 24/7, for free. The Jason Foundation ( JFI) is another available resource. Although September is set aside as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, JFI works toward suicide prevention all year long. Many times, a young person will exhibit clear warnings signs prior to an attempt. By knowing the warning signs, and knowing how to help, you could save a life. To learn more about youth suicide, the warning signs, and how you can help make a difference, visit http://www. jasonfoundation.com. The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, September 1, 2021 A-5 FRIDAY CHILI Roast Beef Manhattan $ 8.99 Roast Beef Smothered in Gravy on Mashed Potatoes and Bread with Green Beans or Corn and Drink * Whitefish Sandwich $ 8.99 Dressed the way you like! 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Mon-Fri 7am-8pm Saturday 7am-2pm 812-354-2004 Social Security Matters By Rusty Gloor Purdue Extension – Pike County news Does paying SS tax now, increase my benefit? PARP session slated for September 14 Fall armyworms on the march Down on the Farm By Hans Schmitz, Purdue Educator By Alex Mahrenholz 4-H Youth Development/ Agriculture & Natural Resources Extension Educator Purdue Extension-Pike County Purdue Extension Pike County will be hosting a free PARP session with a spon- sored breakfast (with RSVP) from the Pike County Soil and Water Conservation District on September 14. The Private Applicator Recertification Program (PARP) helps appli- cators keep their permits up- to-date. Permits are current for five years and during that five years an applicator must either attend three recertifica- tion programs or take the cer- tification exam again. The session on September 14 will be at the Pike County 4-H Exhibit Building, located within Hornady Park in Peters- burg, and will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. EDT, ending at 10 :30 a.m. Speakers include Mr. Mark Cambron, NRCS District Conservationist in Da- viess County, and Alex Mahr- enholz, Agriculture and Natu- ral Resources Extension Edu- cator with Purdue Extension in Pike County. While PARP fees are usual- ly around $10 to attend a pro- gram, the Indiana Soybean Al- liance and Indiana Corn Mar- keting Council are sponsoring the fees for this event, meaning private applicators will be able to attend and earn credits to- wards their PARP at no cost on September 14. The Pike Coun- ty SWCD will be sponsoring a breakfast meal for all of those in attendance who RSVP by September 9. Meal availabili- ty is dependent upon RSVPs. To RSVP, call the Pike Coun- ty Extension Office at 812-354- 6838 or e-mail Alex Mahren- holz at amahrenh@purdue. edu.