Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Beneficiaries: Survey of Their Continuing Eligibility

U NDER the Social Security Act, once an individual establishes his entitlement to monthly oldage and survivors insurance benefits, he continues to receive his benefit each and every month, unless any one of several specified events occurs -principally, his substantial employment or self-employment, death, attainment of age 18, marriage, or remarriage. Under conditions stated in the Act, these events can cut off the person’s right to his check for some months or permanently. Nonpayment for 1 or more months is the result of a deduction event; permanent cut-off of payments is caused by a termination event.1 Thus, for those engaged in the claims operation of the old-age and survivors insurance program, the task of seeing that benefits are properly provided under the Act does not end with getting the beneficiary on the rolls. The provisions relating to reporting these events and the subsequent suspension, termination, or reinstatement of the benefit call for continuing effective administration. Once the adjudication with respect to the individual’s right to a beneflt has been made and he has been found to be entitled to a benefit, various postadjudicative processes are set in ac-