Q:My husband recently passed away and our two minor children are receiving monthly survivor benefits. I am fortunate that my income allows me to save part of the benefits for their future. But I've been told that if I save the money that isn't used, Social Security will adjust their benefit amount. Is this true? --L.T. Cuyahoga Falls

A:No, survivor benefits are not adjusted because of the size of a person's savings account. As the parent and the responsible adult, you have taken on the task of providing for your children's care and the Social Security benefit is there to help you do just that.

When anyone receives checks for someone else, they are expected to use the money to meet the eligible person's needs. The agency ranks ``needs'' in this order: food and shelter first, personal items such as clothing second, medical and dental care third, and savings last. If all of your children's needs are met and there's money left to save, that's good. No one is penalized for saving too much. Call 1-800-772-1213 and ask for the booklet Social Security: A GuideFor Representative Payees. It gives more details about the payee program.

Q:I appreciate your newspaper column and have learned a lot. Probably the most important lesson is the need to personalize your Social Security situation since everyone's benefit is different. I was born in 1938 and will be 65 on Jan. 3, 2003. My full retirement benefit time is March 3, 2003 (age 65 plus 2 months). I've decided to retire on March 3, 2003, and I have these questions:

1. Do I apply for Social Security three months before my birthday or three months before March 3?

2. If I retire as planned and then have the opportunity to work 40 hours per week, could I lose any benefits?

3. Do you need a photocopy of my birth certificate and do I need an appointment to deliver it?

4. When do I sign up for Medicare and do you recommend a Medicare supplemental insurance?

--R.H., Akron

A:Let me answer questions 1, 3 and 4 and save number 2 for last. You can file an application up to three months before your first month of eligibility. Photocopies won't work. Give us the original. We'll make a copy and return the original to you. Your filing options are: walk into any office Monday through Friday (no appointment needed), call 1-800-772-1213 to make an appointment to file for benefits by telephone or in person, or try the new Internet application on our Web site at ssa.gov.

The application for Social Security will also take care of Medicare. Medicare doesn't provide 100 percent coverage so most people choose a supplemental insurance to fill in the gaps. If you decide to take another full-time job, the new employer may be required to offer you medical coverage that could supplement Medicare or even replace it.

The answer to the second question should surprise you. Beginning next March, you will have no work limitations and the new job will not affect your monthly benefit. You do have a work restriction for January and February but because you will attain full retirement age in 2003, you will be allowed to earn about $35,000 for those two months. If you won't make over $35,000 in the first two months, you can start receiving retirement benefits in January and still work until March as planned.

I suggest that you contact Social Security right away to file a claim.

Q: I started receiving my Social Security benefits at age 62. I stopped work completely but my wife is only 57 and works full-time. I need to know how much we are allowed to earn before my checks are affected. I've heard that once the household income reaches $11,280, some benefits are taken away. We may be in trouble because she is almost at that amount now.

Should I have Social Security stop my checks?

--J.P., Newton Falls

A:There's no need to stop your checks. The work limits apply to you, not your wife. Her earnings will not affect your Social Security benefit.