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Social Security Column
Five Ways SSA.GOV Saves You Time
By Erin Thompson, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
in Toledo, OH
Guest Column
Our online tools and services save you time and make your
life easier. Often, there’s no need to contact us. Here
are five of our webpages that can make your life easier:
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With your own personal my
Social Security
account, you can
request a replacement Social Security card, verify your
earnings, get future benefit estimates, obtain benefit
verification letters, and more at
www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
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Need answers to your Social Security-related questions?
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page at
www.ssa.gov/faq.
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You can complete and submit your online application for
retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes at
www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement.
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Access our publications library with online booklets and
pamphlets, including audio versions, on key subjects at
www.ssa.gov/pubs.
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Check out our blog for Social Security news and updates
at
https://blog.ssa.gov.
Please share these pages with your friends and family.
Three
Ways to Fight Scammers Who Target Your Social Security
Benefits
Scammers are always finding new ways to steal your money and
personal information by exploiting your fears. The most
effective way to defeat scammers is to know how to identify
scams and to ignore suspicious calls and emails.
One common tactic scammers use is posing as federal agents
and other law enforcement. They may claim your Social
Security number is linked to a crime. They may even
threaten to arrest you if you do not comply with their
instructions. Here are three things you can do:
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Hang up right away or do not
reply to the email.
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Never give personal information, money, or retail gift
cards.
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Report the scam at
oig.ssa.gov
immediately to Social Security’s law enforcement team at
the Office of the Inspector General.
You should continue to remain vigilant of phone calls when
someone says there’s a problem with your Social Security
number or your benefits. If you owe money to Social
Security, we will mail you a letter explaining your rights,
payment options, and information about appealing.
There are a few ways you can identify a scam call or email.
Remember that we will never:
Threaten you with benefit suspension, arrest, or other legal
action unless you pay a fine or fee.
Promise a benefit increase or other assistance in exchange
for payment.
Require payment by retail gift card, cash, wire transfer,
internet currency, or prepaid debit card.
Demand secrecy from you in handling a Social
Security-related problem.
Send official letters or reports containing personally
identifiable information via email.
If you do not have ongoing business with our agency, it is
unlikely we will contact you. Again, if you get a
suspicious call claiming to be from Social Security, you
should hang up and report it right away to our Office of the
Inspector General at
oig.ssa.gov.
Four
Questions About Social Security That Can Help You Plan Your
Retirement
Social Security benefits are part of the retirement plan of
almost every American worker. If you’re among the many
people covered under Social Security, you should know what
your future benefit may be. These monthly payments may be a
vital part of your retirement income.
We base your benefit payment on how much you earned during
your working career. Higher lifetime earnings result in
higher benefits. If there were some years you didn’t work
or had low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than
if you had worked steadily. Even if you have never
worked under Social Security, you may be able to get
spouse’s retirement benefits if you are at least 62 years
old and your spouse receives retirement or disability
benefits.
Our online retirement portal at
www.ssa.gov/retirement
is a great place to start mapping out your retirement plan.
There, we provide important information that you should
know. For example, have you considered:
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When you should apply to start retirement benefits?
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What documents you need to provide?
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Which factors may affect your retirement benefits?
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What you should remember to do after you apply for
retirement benefits?
You can use your personal my
Social Security
account at
www.ssa.gov/myaccount
to get an instant estimate of your future retirement
benefits. You can also see the effects of starting your
retirement benefits at different ages.
Benefits for family members may also be important to you.
When you start receiving Social Security retirement
benefits, members of your family may also qualify to receive
benefits on your record. You can learn more at
www.ssa.gov/benefits.
Please share this information with family and friends to
help them prepare for retirement.
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