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Social Security
Column: Cyber Monday Value at socialsecurity.gov
By Phil Walton, Social Security Manager in Toledo, OH
Guest Column
With the holiday season in full swing, you may find yourself
exploring those tempting online shopping deals. The day
after Thanksgiving has nearly become a holiday of its own.
“Black Friday” is the busiest shopping day of the year, with
people lining up at midnight for deals as they begin the
busy holiday shopping season. The Monday after that has
become a virtual holiday, pun intended. “Cyber Monday” is
the day Internet-savvy people search for deals, all online.
But, there’s more than one way to find value on the
Internet. For example, Social Security offers many online
services to the public — and they’re free and secure! Doing
business online with Social Security will also save time.
Now that’s an offer you can’t refuse! Here are some of the
most popular online services you’ll find at
www.socialsecurity.gov.
Each site is safe and secure.
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The online Social Security Statement is a hot
service that is a big hit with the millions of people
who’ve used it since its launch. Your online
Statement provides you with a record of your past
earnings, and it uses those earnings along with
projected earnings for future years to give you accurate
estimates of future Social Security benefits. Open your
personal my Social Security account to get your
Statement today. Just go to
www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/.
2.
The Retirement Estimator is an easy way to get
an instant, personalized estimate of your future Social
Security benefits. Just enter some basic information and the
Estimator will use information on your Social
Security record, along with what you input, to give you a
benefit estimate on the spot. You can even experiment with
different scenarios, such as changing your future earnings
and retirement date. Check it out in English at
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator
or in Spanish at
www.segurosocial.gov/calculador.
3.
The online Retirement Application is the most
convenient way to apply for Social Security retirement
benefits. You can apply from the comfort of your home — it’s
convenient and secure. In fact, you can apply online in as
little as 15 minutes. In most cases, after your application
is submitted electronically, you’re done. There are no forms
to sign and, usually, no documentation is required. Social
Security will process your application and contact you if
any further information is needed. When you’re ready to
retire, apply at
www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.
4.
Business Services Online
is our one-stop shop for small business owners. The site
allows organizations and authorized people to conduct
business with and submit confidential information to Social
Security. Employers can use it to file W-2s for their
employees the fast, convenient, and paperless way — online.
Visit Business Services Online at
www.socialsecurity.gov/bso.
Social Security’s online services continually receive the
highest ratings in both the public and private sectors. Each
site uses the highest security to keep your information
safe. We have one of the top-ranking websites for plain
language, so you can easily understand the features you’re
getting — no fine print to squint over.Learn more about all
you can do online at Social Security on Cyber Monday, or any
day, at
www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.
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