At home or on the go: Social Security is online – AdVantageNEWS.com

When you retire, if you become disabled, or if someone you depend on dies, we are there when you need us. You can access your information, benefits, and important services from just about anywhere with your personal and secure my Social Security account. With your mySocial Security account, you can:

Compare future benefit estimates for different dates or ages when you may want to begin receiving benefits.

Check the status of your benefits application or appeal.

Review your earnings history.

Request a replacement Social Security card (in most states).

If you already receive benefits, you can also:

Get a benefit verification or proof of income letter.

Set up or change your direct deposit.

Change your address.

Request a replacement Medicare card.

Get a Social Security 1099 form (SSA-1099).

You can even use your my Social Securityaccount to opt out of receiving certain notices by mail, including the annual cost-of-living adjustments notice and the income-related monthly adjustment amount notice. These notices are now available in your Message Center when you sign in to your account. We will send you an email that a new message is waiting for you, so you never miss an important update.

Its easy to sign up for a mySocial Security account. Please let your friends and family know that they can create their own my Social Securityaccount today at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

If you rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and want to start or return to work, we can help.

Ticket to Work (Ticket) is a program that supports career development for SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients who want to work and progress toward financial independence. The Ticket program is free and voluntary. Learn more about the Ticket to Work program at http://www.ssa.gov/work or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

In addition to the Ticket to Work program, the Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) program also helps people with disabilities return to work. A PASS allows you to set aside resources and other income besides your SSI for a specified period. With a PASS you can pursue a work goal that will reduce or eliminate your need for SSI or SSDI benefits.

How does a PASS help someone return to work?

We base SSI eligibility and payment amounts on income and resources (items of value that the person owns).

PASS lets a person with a disability set aside money and items they own to pay for items or services needed to achieve a specific work goal.

The objective of the PASS is to help people with disabilities find employment that reduces or eliminates the need for SSI or SSDI benefits.

You can read all about the PASS program at http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11017.pdf.

The PASS must be in writing and we must approve the plan. To start, contact your local PASS Cadre or local Social Security office for an application (Form SSA-545-BK). You can also access the form at http://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-545.html. Ticket to Work service providers, vocational counselors, or a representative or relative can help you write a PASS.

For more information about PASS, read The Red Book - A Guide to Work Incentives at http://www.ssa.gov/redbook.

Your job isnt just a source of income it can be a vehicle to independence or the beginning step to fulfilling your dreams. Let our Ticket to Work program or PASS program help you achieve your goals.

Every year on Veterans Day, we honor the people who risk their lives to protect our country. Our disability program is part of our obligation to wounded warriors and their families. Social Security is an important resource for military members who return home with injuries. If you know a wounded veteran, please let them know about our Wounded Warriors web page, http://www.ssa.gov/woundedwarriors.

Our Wounded Warriors web page answers many questions commonly asked about Social Security, and shares useful information about disability benefits. On this page, you can learn how Social Security benefits are different from benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application. We also explain how veterans can expedite the processing of their Social Security disability claims if they become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs.

Active-duty military service members who continue to receive pay while in a hospital or on medical leave should consider applying for disability benefits if theyre unable to work due to a disabling condition. Active-duty status and receipt of military pay doesnt necessarily prevent payment of Social Security disability benefits.

We honor veterans and active duty members of the military every day by giving them the respect they deserve. Please let these heroes know they can count on SSA when they need us most. Theyve earned these benefits! Our web pages are easy to share on social media and by email with your friends and family. Please consider passing this information along to someone who may need it.

We are here for surviving family members when a worker dies. In the event of your death, certain members of your family may be eligible for survivors benefits. These include widows and widowers, divorced widows and widowers, children, and dependent parents.

The amount of benefits your survivors receive depends on your lifetime earnings. The higher your earnings, the higher their benefits. Thats why its important to make sure your earnings history is correct in our records. That starts with creating a my Social Security account atwww.ssa.gov/myaccount.A my Social Security account is secure and gives you immediate access to your earnings records, Social Security benefit estimates, and a printable Social Security Statement. The Statement will let you see an estimate of the survivors benefits we could pay your family.

You may also want to visit our Benefits Planner for Survivors to help you better understand Social Security protections for you and your family as you plan for your financial future at http://www.ssa.gov/planners/survivors.

Please visit http://www.ssa.gov or read our publication Survivors Benefits at http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10084.pdf for more information. You can also help us spread the word by sharing this information with your family and friends.

We have exciting news to share: weve redesigned your Social Security Statement (Statement) to make it easier to find the information you need.

Who gets a Statement?

You will get a Statement if you are an adult who does not receive benefits. Your unique Statement gives estimates of future Social Security benefits that you and your family may receive each month along with a basic overview of the Social Security program. It also provides a record of your earnings history and other valuable information. Your future benefits are based on your earnings record, so its important to tell us when you see an error, so you can get it corrected and ensure you get all the benefits you earned. Your Statement explains how to report an error.

Whats New in the Statement?

The redesigned Statement is streamlined and written in plain language to make it easy to read, use, and understand. Weve divided the information into sections, like different types of benefits, so you can easily find what you need. The new Statement provides a bar chart with your personalized retirement benefit estimates for up to nine different ages, depending on when you may want your benefits to start. This key information can help you make educated decisions about your financial future.

Fact sheets tailored to your age group and earnings situation accompany your online Statement. The fact sheets can help you better understand Social Security programs, benefits, and how they fit your situation. For example, for younger workers, we provide more information about how you can save for your future; for older workers, we explain how benefits may be taxed and how to avoid a Medicare penalty. We include links in the fact sheets for easier reference and additional information.

Our Social Security Statement web page at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/statement has samples of the Statement, as well as copies of the new fact sheets (in English and Spanish). Please share these resources with your friends and family.

Get Your Personalized Statement Online Today

The best way to access your new Statement is by using your personal mySocial Securityaccount. If you dont have an account, be sure to create one today. Your account also lets you access other services online, such as requesting a replacement Social Security card and getting a letter proving you do not receive Social Security benefits.

Get started by signing in to or creating your mySocial Securityaccount today at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount!

General

Question: Are Social Security numbers reassigned after a person dies?

Answer: No. We do not reassign Social Security numbers. In all, we have assigned more than 500 million Social Security numbers. Each year we assign about 5.5 million new numbers. There are over one billion combinations of the nine-digit Social Security number. As a result, the current system has enough new numbers to last for several more generations. For more information about Social Security, visit our website at http://www.ssa.gov.

Question: Is it illegal to laminate your Social Security card?

Answer: No, it is not illegal, but we discourage it. Its best not to laminate your card. Laminated cards make it difficult sometimes even impossible to detect important security features and an employer may refuse to accept them. The Social Security Act requires the Commissioner of Social Security to issue cards that cannot be counterfeited. We incorporatemany features that protect the cards integrity. They include highly specialized paper and printing techniques, some of which are invisible to the naked eye. Keep your Social Security card in a safe place with your other important papers. Do not carry it with you.Learn more at http://www.ssa.gov.

Retirement

Question: I want to estimate my retirement benefit at several different ages. Is there a way to do that?

Answer: Use our Retirement Estimator at http://www.ssa.gov/estimator to get an instant, personalized retirement benefit estimate based on current law and your earnings record. The Retirement Estimator, which also is available in Spanish, lets you create additional "what if" retirement scenarios based on different income levels and stop work ages.

Question: I've decided I want to retire. Now what do I do?

Answer: The fastest and easiest way to apply for retirement benefits is to go to http://www.ssa.gov/retireonline. Use our online application to apply for Social Security retirement or spouses benefits. To do so, you must:

Be at least 61 years and 9 months old.

Want to start your benefits in the next four months.

Live in the United States or one of its commonwealths or territories.

Disability

Question: I just received my first disability payment. How long will I continue to get them?

Answer: In most cases, you will continue to receive benefits as long as you are disabled. However, there are certain circumstances that may change your continuing eligibility for disability benefits. For example, one of the following may apply:

Your health may improve to the point where you are no longer disabled.

Like many people, you would like to go back to work rather than depend on your disability benefits and you are successful in your attempt.

Also, the law requires that we review your case from time to time to verify you are still disabled. We tell you if it is time to review your case, and we also keep you informed about your benefit status. You also should be aware that you are responsible for letting us know if your health improves or you go back to work.

Question: I currently receive Social Security disability benefits. I now have a second serious disability. Can my monthly benefit amount be increased?

Answer: No. Your Social Security disability benefit amount is based on the amount of your lifetime earnings before your disability began and not the number of disabling conditions or illnesses you may have. For more information, go to http://www.ssa.gov/disability.

Supplemental Security Income

Question: How do I report a change of address if Im getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

Answer: A person receiving SSI must report any change of address by calling our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or by calling a local office within 10 days after the month the change occurs. You cannot complete a change of address online. You should report your new address to Social Security so you can continue to get mail from Social Security when necessary, even if you get your benefits electronically by direct deposit or Direct Express. Learn more about SSI at http://www.ssa.gov/ssi.

Question: Who is eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

Answer: People who receive SSI are age 65 or older, blind, or disabled with limited income and resources. Go to http://www.ssa.gov for income and resource limits. The general fund of the U.S. Treasury makes SSI payments. They do not come out of the Social Security Trust Fund.

Medicare

Question: I need to make changes to my Medicare prescription drug coverage. When can I do that?

Answer: Open season for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage runs from October 15 to December 7. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is available to all Medicare beneficiaries. Joining a Medicare prescription drug plan is voluntary and participants pay an additional monthly premium. If you are considering changing your plan, you might want to revisit the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs. If you have limited resources and income, you may also be eligible for Extra Help to pay monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. Extra Help is estimated to be worth about $5,000 per year. To find out more, visit http://www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp. For more information about the Medicare prescription drug program itself, visit http://www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY1-877-486-2048).

Question: Where can I find general information about Medicare benefits?

Answer: Social Security determines whether people are entitled to Medicare benefits, but the program is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). You can visit CMS Medicare website at http://www.medicare.gov or call them at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Online or by phone, you can find answers to your Medicare questions at CMS.

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At home or on the go: Social Security is online - AdVantageNEWS.com