Social Security Benefits Handbook (Social Security Benefits Handbook, 2nd ed) [Paperback]

Stanley A. Tomkiel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Social Security Benefits Handbook, 2nd ed | Publication Date: March 1998

For those looking for accessible assistance in using and understanding Social Security benefits, attorney and former Social Security claims representative Stanley Tomkiel cuts through some of the more complex issues and explains the benefits in a clear and concise manner.

Included in this new edition are changes in the disability benefits schedule, explanation of the criteria used for working after retirement and still being able to collect Social Security benefits and example situations for easy understanding of complex regulations.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

It's not as if there were a dearth of information about Social Security. The Social Security Administration's own regularly updated Social Security Handbook runs 676 pages and includes a 70-page index. And though obtaining publications from the Government Printing Office should not be a barrier, it sometimes is for some libraries. For those looking for accessible, understandable assistance, attorney and former Social Security claims representative Tomkiel has distilled details about how Social Security is administered and what benefits are available for whom into clearly presented, easy-to-locate explanations. Though their shelf life may be limited, books on topics such as this that are both authoritative and relatively inexpensive make valuable acquisitions. David Rouse --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Stanley A. Tomkiel, III received his law degree from Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was admitted to the bar in both New York and Florida. Mr. Tomkiel was previously employed by the Social Security Administration as a claims representative in various district offices in the Northeast. He currently practices law and resides in Yonkers, New York. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc; 2nd edition (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570713375
• ISBN-13: 978-1570713378
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,124,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Try Common Cents, November 19, 1999

By 

Stephen B. Cobb "Shameless Reductionist" (Nashua, New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Social Security Benefits Handbook (Social Security Benefits Handbook, 2nd ed) (Paperback)

Very helpful if you are looking for a simple guide to benefits, but if you want more commentary on issues, books recommended by socialsecurity.org might be more informative.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Review of The Social Security Benefits Handbook, January 9, 2003

By 

Neil (Meadville, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Social Security Benefits Handbook, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

I found this book not to be a good investment. It is an extraction of certain SSA publications, all available in user-friendly format at the official SSA website. The major drawback is that the tables of values for benefits and earnings limits stop at the year 2002. The edition I received in January, 2003 is the third edition dated May, 2002. While the content is current to 2002 and the SSA regulations may not have changed substantially, it is not helpful for referencing 2003 numbers and beyond.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Reference on Basic Law and Procedures, December 19, 2000

By 

David C. Veeneman (Southern California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Social Security Benefits Handbook (Social Security Benefits Handbook, 2nd ed) (Paperback)

Tomkiel has written a good reference for non-lawyers on the basics of Social Security law and how it is administered. It goes into some detail, so if you are looking for something light and breezy, it may be a bit much. But if you want to know what benefits are available, who is eligible for them, and how they are calculated, this book will fill the bill nicely.