_- years of. residence.

Al4- Sunday News, January 4,

‘If 1981 is the year in which you reach the age : of 65, here are

* some: shappy thoughts to

‘start it off.

‘Every Canadian or landed

immigrant who reaches the age. of:.65 gets a special birthday present from the’ federal. government — the first “Old Age Security pension cheque. . From that point on the benefits continue, every month, for the rest of their lives.

But. ‘According to officials from Health and Welfare Canada, the benefits under

ithe -QAS system are not

automatic. And certainly there .are some basic requirements that must be met. First, you must be a legal resident in Canada immediately prior to the approval of your application

_— a citizen or landed im-

migrant.

Then there is the ‘residence requirement. The basic requirement is that you are a resident in Canada for a minimum of 10 years prior to reaching age 65.

Whether you get the full

or partial pension is very

much dependent on whether * you fall:under the new or old * jegislation. Under the old

legislation, you receive a full pension after 10 or more Under the’ new | legislation, you receive a portion of the pension earned at 1/40th ‘of

. the maximum for every year _ of residence.

You must apply -for

. benefits prior to reaching the magic age of 65 - and you » should-‘do it .at least six : months’ “before turning that

age.. Applying apy later could result in late approval and delay in payment. Applying is relatively simple. You fill out an

' application form available at

any post office or Income Security Programs office in

your area. You will need proper documentation such

as birth or baptismal cer- tificates, passport and the like, at the time of ap plication.

All documents must be

originals. Copies simply will ~

not do.

If you are experiencing any problems the best thing to do is get in touch with any Income Security Programs office nearest to where you live, for assistance.

If you are in receipt of OAS pension benefits you may be entitled to reccive Guaranteed Income Sup plement as well. This benefit

given to recipients of Old Age Sccurity Pension who have little or no other in- come.

There is also a benefit paid to spouses of pensioners who are between the age of 60 and 65, if the total income of both falls under a certain level. Gencrally, a spouse qualifies if the other mate ts @ recipient of both the Old Age Security and Guarantced Income Sup plement bencfits.

Here are some questions asked most often about the Old Age Security bencfits

Will 1 continue to receive my OAS if l leave Canada? Tho benefits continue only if you have Jived in Canada for at least 20 years after your 18th birthday They will be mailed to you

¢

anywhere *in ‘the ‘world. i -

you have not lived in Canada for at least. that period, payment is.made only for the . mionth of departure and an additional six months.

If 1 do leave Canada, will

, the Guaranteed Income

Supplement or Spouse’s Allowance continue? ~ °No. Both these benefits will be paid for the month of departure and an additional six months —— then payment - will terminate. How about if I move from

’ one province to.another?

*Simply notify your Income Sécurity Office as to where you are going. Cheques will be sent to your new address.

What should I do if I‘don’t get my pension cheque on time? eNotify your nearest Income

Security Programs, office . if.

the cheque is not delivered after the end of the month. - Can I have my- OAS

cheque .sent directly to my

bankfordeposit? = = .<

*Yes. However, you. must...

make the arrangements with the bank and give details to your Income Security office.

Do I have the right to

appeal if I feel there ‘has, . been some injustice done to

me?

°Certainly. If you're not satisfied, after receiving an explanation of the decision

made in your case, you have _ the right to appeal that ~

- Mearest- Income. Security .

decision. Contact your Office for instructions on

how to proceed.

| PE Suzi Holmes helps with the Texas Mickey: ‘raffle draw: which wound up the Xmas charity activities of the Society ‘for Barber Shop Quartet singing on the North Shore (Alison Bowman photo)

In recognition of the pecial position which Senior ( Citizens hold in our society, a new automobile insurance grant has been announced by the Provincial Government.

Intended to ease the burden of increased auto insurance rates, the grant is equal to 25% of the 1981 compulsory automobile insurance premium.

It is available to any citizen whose vehicle is rated for ‘pleasure’ |

use, and both the owner and the principal operator are 65 years of

age or more.

How does it work?

/

@ If you renewed at 1981 rates in December, you did not receive the new Grant and should visit your Autoplan agent who will arrange for a cheque to be mailed to you.

@ If you haven't yet renewed at 1981 rates, you should advise your agent that you qualify for the Senior Citizen Automobile Insurance Grant, and he will deduct the amount from your

premium.

e If you renewed your insurance in November or December at 1980 rates, you have already re- ceived the 25% Senior Citizen

Discount which applied for 1980 insurance.

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® If you purchased Autoplan Insurance for the first time on or after November 15, 1980, and

are eligible for the Grant, you should check back with your agent and arrangements will be made for a cheque to be forwarded.

Call on your Autoplan agent

forany information you require about Autoplan Insurance or the Government's new Senior Citizen Automobile Insurance Grant.

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INSURANCE CORPORATION

OF BRITISH COLUMBIA