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Social Security Column
OLDER AMERICANS BENEFIT FROM MY SOCIAL SECURITY
By Phil Walton
Social Security Manager in Toledo, Oh
Each May, groups and organizations around the nation join in
celebrating Older Americans Month. Established in 1963,
Older Americans Month provides an opportunity for our nation
to recognize seniors for their many contributions and share
important information to help them stay healthy and active.
This year’s theme is “Safe Today, Healthy Tomorrow.” Social
Security has something to help keep you safe and healthy: a
suite of online services. Rather than driving or taking
public transportation to a local office, you can use our
secure, free online services to handle much of your Social
Security business. With the amount of time you save, you’ll
have more time to spend with the grandkids or have time for
a brisk walk around the neighborhood or local park.Before
going for that walk, though, visit
www.socialsecurity.gov.
Whether you already receive benefits or you’re just starting
to think about retirement, it’s a great time to open a my
Social Security account.
What’s my
Social Security?
It’s a secure online account that allows you immediate
access to your personal Social Security information. During
your working years, you can use my Social Security to
view your Social Security Statement to check your
earnings record and see estimates of the future retirement,
disability and survivor benefits you and your family may
receive. Check it out at
www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
After you check your online Social Security Statement,
be sure to visit our Retirement Estimator. Like a
my Social Security account, you can use it as many times
as you’d like. The Estimator lets you change
variables, such as retirement date options and future
earnings. You may discover that you’d rather wait another
year or two before you retire to earn a higher benefit. To
get instant, personalized estimates of your future benefits
just go to
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
Deciding when to retire is a
personal choice and depends on a number of factors. To help,
we suggest you read our online fact sheet, When To Start
Receiving Retirement Benefits, available at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
If you’re ready to retire, the online service you’ve been
waiting for is our online application for retirement
benefits, which allows you to complete and submit your
application in as little as 15 minutes at
www.socialsecurity.gov/retireonline.
Once you complete and submit the electronic application, in
most cases, that’s it—no papers to sign or documents to
provide.
Are you already receiving benefits? You can use my Social
Security to immediately get your proof of benefits
letter, change your address or phone number on our records,
start or change your direct deposit information and check
your benefit and payment information. We encourage you to
take advantage of our online services and resources, freeing
up more time for activities you really enjoy. Learn more at
www.socialsecurity.gov.
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