I have only Social Security to depend on.

My earnings as an independent contractor have not been very high until last year when I decided to work longer hours.

I want to do something to make sure I have enough to have a decent, not luxurious, retirement. I know absolutely zero about retirement plans or investing. The small savings that I have are all in CDs and savings accounts. Do you think this is possible at this late age? Can you suggest something?

What Harry says: Sure, it's possible. If you are married, and your wife is at least 50, you can each put $5,000 into an IRA for each year.

You also should consider whether a business-related plan such as a 401(k) or Keogh plan might be better, or maybe a Roth IRA would be the best move.

Here, the contributions by you are not deductible now, but withdrawals are not taxed.

Obviously, you'll need help to sort all this out. I suggest that you contact Fidelity (215-568-9977) and Vanguard (800-851-4999) to get their recommendations. There are others that perform equally well, but there's no need to get too many opinions.

Dear Harry: My wife and I do not believe in using a credit card unless there is an emergency.

For the past 20 years, we have only maintained one card for this reason. We used it rarely. A few days ago we received a notice from the issuer that since we have not used the card lately, they have chosen to cancel it. The tone of the letter was blatantly patronizing . . . we know what's best for you. After my wife calmed me down, I reread the card-holder terms, and I could find nothing that gave them the right to cancel the card for lack of use. I called the company service rep, and I was told that they could not discuss anything with me since I was no longer a card-holder!

Even a supposedly intelligent supervisor wouldn't budge on this. How about that for a Catch 22!! Could this have a negative impact on our credit? We now have a very high rating. Should we apply for another credit card now for that just-in-case scenario?

Dear Harry: What a bunch of toads! This situation should not have an adverse effect on your credit score. You have not done anything negative.

I would suggest that you get another emergency card. However, to keep it active, do make some small purchase once a month. It won't hurt your resolve to use the card only for emergencies if you restrict the use this way.

I like the idea of using the card only for emergencies, but using the card for other purchases will afford you the opportunity of earning interest on your money until the card's due date. That can be be pretty hefty. I recently estimated that our use of a credit card enabled us to make more than $100 in interest last year. That won't buy us a Roll Royce, but it will buy a lot of cheese-steaks and hoagies. And then there are the "rewards" that the issuers offer.

Dear Harry: We have run into a problem in trying to refinance our mortgage. Everything was going along fine until a title search revealed that there is a lien on our home that we knew nothing about.

Further investigation revealed a messy situation. When my wife was employed as a receptionist some years ago, her boss told her to order some T-shirts for his employees. When she showed her boss the order form, he asked her to sign it because he'd just gotten an important phone call. She signed. It was her custom to sign for all deliveries, so she signed when the shirts arrived. Soon afterward, the boss closed down the company and left the state. Apparently, the bill for the shirts was unpaid. We were never requested to pay the bill, nor did we ever get a notice of the lien.

I called the lawyer involved in this, and he insisted we pay the bill regardless of the fact that she signed for the company. Are we stuck with either the bill or a lawyer's fee to fight the lien?

What Harry says: May I assume that the order was in the company's name, not hers?

If so, you'll have no trouble in Small Claims Court. In any event, the toad of a lawyer you spoke with will have to present evidence, and it will show that the name on the shirts was the company's name, not your wife's. Get to Small Claims Court soon.

Dear Harry: I was convicted of drug possession, and I'm now incarcerated.

I have some evidence that a few of my family members are using my SS number to get cell phones and credit cards. I am not 100 percent sure of this so I'd like to find out and be ready to go after them when my term is up later this year. I would like to know how to get that free credit report that I understand I'm entitled to. I have access to a computer here, and I tried freecreditreport.com, but they gave me all kinds of offers on credit monitoring that I'm not interested in and can't afford. How do I go about getting just a plain and simple free report?

What Harry says: It really is very unfortunate that someone got that Web site name before free reports were generally available. The site to go to is annualcredit

report.com.

That should get you the report and the information you're looking for.

Your words "go after them" are troubling me. I hope you're not thinking of some physical action. Further, it is possible that there was no harm done to your credit rating. And finally, do you really want to "go after" family members in a civil fraud action? In any case, getting that free credit report from each of the major reporting agencies each year is a good idea. *

Write Harry Gross c/o the Daily News, Box 7788, Philadelphia, PA 19101. Harry urges all his readers to give blood - contact the American Red Cross at 800-GIVE LIFE.