For the record - Aug. 12, 2012

Social Security: The Money Talk column in the Aug. 5 Business section said that money withheld from Social Security benefits because of the so-called earnings test — a determination that the recipient earned more than a threshold amount — is a penalty and not returned. In fact, when the recipient reaches full retirement age, his or her benefits are increased to reflect the money that was withheld. The exception is spouses and survivors who receive benefits because they have minor or disabled children in their care. These recipients do not receive increased benefits at full retirement age if benefits were withheld because of work.

Potential VPs: In the Aug. 5 Section A, an article about Ohio Sen. Rob Portman’s status as a potential GOP vice presidential candidate said that Republican Rep. Paul D. Ryan is from Minnesota. Ryan is from Wisconsin.

Dr. James West: In the Aug. 5 California section, the obituary of Dr. James West said that he was the founding medical director of the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage. He was one of the key founding physicians of the center. Dr. Joseph R. Cruse is the founding medical director of the center. When the center opened in 1982, West was the physician coordinator. He was named medical director in 1983.

David Jones: In the July 29 Business section, an article about West Hollywood florist David Jones misspelled the last name of philanthropists Bunny and Paul Mellon as Melon. The article and a subsequent For the Record item also misidentified Paul Mellon as Bill.

Fashion: An article in the Image section elsewhere in this edition about the fashion line Elkin identified one of the musicians who had an influence on Brit and Kara Smith, designers of the fashion line, as El Khatib. The full name is Hanni El Khatib. The error was discovered after the section went to press.

Robert Hughes obituary: The obituary of art critic Robert Hughes in the Aug. 8 LATExtra section misspelled the surname of Australian historian Alan Moorehead as Morehead.

Ann Curry: An article in the Aug. 10 Calendar section about Ann Curry’s return to “Today” said that she and Matt Lauer were on the morning show together when Curry reported from Aurora, Colo., last month. Lauer was not on with her; his current co-host, Savannah Guthrie, was.