My Social Security: It s not just for retirees

Manager in Champaign A personal my Social Security account can be helpful in so many ways. You can benefit from its personalized tools even if you are not retired or close to retirement. With your personal my Social Security account, you can do much of your business with us online. You rarely need to call or visit a local Social Security office once you have one. Let's look at some of the features offered by an account. If you do not receive benefits, you can: · Request a replacement Social Security card [in most states and the District of Columbia). · Check personalized retirement benefit estimates to compare different dates or ages to begin receiving benefits. · Check the status of your Social Security application after you apply. · Get proof that you do not receive benefits. · Get your Social Security Statement. If you already receive benefits, you can: · Request a replacement Social Security card [in most states and the District of Columbia). · Get a benefit verification or proof of income letter. · Update your direct deposit [Social Security benefits only). · Update contact information [Social Security benefits only). · Get a Social Security tax form [1099/1042S). · Opt out of receiving certain notices by mail and receive them in the secure Message Center. Please help us spread the news! Let your family and friends know that they can create a personal my Social Security account today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Can I refuse to give my Social Security number to a private business? Yes. You can refuse to disclose your Social Security number, and you should be careful about giving out your number. But be aware, the person requesting your number can refuse services if you don't give it. Businesses, banks, schools, private agencies, etc., are free to request someone's number and use it for any purpose that doesn't violate a federal or state law. I prefer reading by audio book. Does Social Security have audio publications? Yes. You can find them at www.ssa.gov/pubs. Some of the publications available include What You Can Do Online, Working While Disabled -How We Can Help, Apply Online for Social Security Benefits, and Your Social Security Card and Number. You can listen now at www.ssa.gov/pubs. How are my retirement benefits calculated? Your Social Security benefits are based on earnings averaged over your lifetime. Your actual earnings are first adjusted or "indexed" to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then we calculate your average monthly indexed earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. We apply a formula to these earnings and arrive at your basic benefit. This is the amount you would receive at your full retirement age.

If you have a personal my Social Security account, you can get an estimate of your personal retirement benefits and see the effects of different ages to begin receiving retirement benefits. If you don't have a personal my Social Security account, you can create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. For more information, read our publication, Your Retirement Benefit: How It's Figured, at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10070.pdf. I am nearing my full retirement age, but I plan to keep working after I apply for Social Security benefits. Will my benefits be reduced because of my income? No. If you start receiving benefits after you've reached your full retirement age, you can work while you receive Social Security, and your current benefit will not be reduced because of the earned income. If you keep working, it could mean a higher benefit for you in the future. Higher benefits can be important to you later in life and increase the future benefit amounts your survivors could receive. If you begin receiving benefits before your full retirement age, your earnings could reduce your monthly benefit amount. After you reach full retirement age, we recalculate your benefit amount to leave out the months when we reduced or withheld benefits due to your excess earnings. Learn more about Social Security reading our publication, How Work Affects Your Benefits, at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10069. pdf. I have been getting Social Security disability benefits for many years. I'm about to hit my full retirement age. What will happen to my disability benefits? When you reach "full retirement age," we will switch you from disability to retirement benefits. But you won't even notice the change because your benefit amount will stay the same. It's just that when you reach retirement age, we consider you to be a "retiree" and not a disability beneficiary. My doctor said he thinks I have a disability. Who decides if I meet the requirements for Social Security disability benefits? We first will review your application to make sure you meet some basic requirements for Social Security disability benefits, such as whether you worked enough years to be eligible for benefits. Then we will send your application to the disability determination services office in your state, often called the "DDS" or "state agency." Your state agency completes the disability decision for us. Doctors and disability specialists in the state agency ask your doctors for information about your condition. They consider all the facts in your case. They use the medical evidence from your doctors and hospitals, clinics, or institutions where you have been treated and all other information.

The state agency staff may need more medical information before they can decide if you have a disability. If more information is not available from your current medical sources, the state agency may ask you to go for a special examination. We prefer to ask your own doctor, but sometimes the exam may have to be done by someone else. Social Security will pay for the exam and for some of the related travel costs. Learn more at www.ssa.gov/disability. If I receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to a disability, what happens to my payments if I work? In most cases, your return to work will reduce your payment amount, but less than V2 of your earnings will count when we figure your SSI payment amount. Unlike Social Security disability benefits, there is no "trial work period" for people who get SSI payments. Reporting wages each month helps us pay the correct amount of SSI. Timely reporting may also prevent you from owing us money or may allow us to pay a higher amount. We have several publications about SSI, including Reporting Your Wages When You Receive Supplemental Security Income, available at www.ssa. gov/pubs/EN-0 5-105 03.pdf. There are other work incentives that can help you return to work when you receive SSI. You can read about them in What You Need to Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), available at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-0 5-11011.pdf. Is it true that a person can own a home and still be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? Yes. A person who owns a home and lives in that home can be eligible for SSI. Although there is an asset limit for people to be eligible for SSI, some things don't count toward that limit, such as a house, a vehicle, and some funds set aside for burial expenses. To learn more about SSI and the eligibility requirements, browse our booklet, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at www.ssa.gov/pubs/llOOO.html. I recently retired and am approaching the age when I can start receiving Medicare. What is the monthly premium for Medicare Part B? In 2024, the standard Medicare Part B premium for medical insurance is $174.70 per month. Some people with higher incomes must pay higher monthly premiums for their Medicare coverage. You can get details at www.medicare. gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048). Where can I find general information about Medicare benefits? 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 www.medicare.gov or call them at 1-8Q0-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Online or by phone, you can find answers to your Medicare questions at CMS.