Letters to the editor: June 18

I was surprised to read the letter to the editor “Give vets free health care, tax-free disability income”…

I was surprised to read the letter to the editor “Give vets free health care, tax-free disability income” (May 28) by Steven “Pudge” Harrison, a financial adviser at Eagle Financial Strategies, in regard to the Just Thinking column, “When the tax man cometh for our troops” (April 30), suggesting free health care and no income tax on combat-related disability income.

My husband fought in Vietnam and came back to Nebraska with a hearing disability. He receives free health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs and has never had to pay taxes on his disability income.

Perhaps Mr. Harrison could contact his local VA and see what it offers veterans in his state.

Etta L. Wilder

Office assistant

Mayo Financial Services Inc.

Broken Bow, Neb.

Please accept my congratulations for having Mary Beth Franklin on your staff as a contributing editor and columnist.

I attended the InvestmentNews Retirement Income Summit in Chicago April 30-May 1. Ms. Franklin’s presentation on Social Security at the event was excellent.

Later that day, I had the opportunity to ask her a question about my own Social Security benefit. Before talking to Ms. Franklin, I had contacted the Social Security Administration three times, and they were never able to give me an answer.

Ms. Franklin said that no one has asked my question before. She didn’t know the answer but told me that if I sent her an e-mail she would get an answer for me.

Several days later, Ms. Franklin re-sponded with an answer.

I hope you can imagine how im-pressed I am.

Thomas M. Adair

President

Adair Personal Financial Planning Inc.

Chicago