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Social Security
– Questions and Answers
Toledo, OH
Special to The Truth
Question:
How can I protect myself against identity theft?
Answer:
First, don’t carry your Social Security card with you. Keep
it secure at home with your other important papers. Second,
don’t readily give out your Social Security number. While
many banks, schools, doctors, landlords, and others will
request your number, it is your decision whether to provide
it. Ask if there is some other way to identify you in their
records.
If you are the victim of identity theft, you should report
it right away. To report identity theft, fraud, or misuse
of your Social Security number, the Federal Trade Commission
(the nation’s consumer protection agency) recommends you:
1.
Place a fraud alert on your credit file by contacting one of
the following companies (the company you contact is required
to contact the other two, which will then place alerts on
your reports):
·
Equifax, 1-800-525-6285;
·
Trans Union, 1-800-680-7289; or
·
Experian, 1-888-397-3742.
2.
Review your credit report for inquiries from companies you
have not contacted, accounts you did not open, and debts on
your accounts you cannot explain;
3.
Close any accounts you know, or believe, have been tampered
with or opened fraudulently;
4.
File a report with your local police or the police in the
community where the identity theft took place; and
5.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at
1-877-438-4338 (TTY 1-866-653-4261).
Question:
Can I conduct my Social Security business online in the
event of a hurricane or other disaster that keeps me from
visiting an office?
Answer:
Yes, you can conduct most of your business with Social
Security online at
www.socialsecurity.gov,
where you’ll find a wealth of information and services. For
example, you can create or access your own my Social
Security account, apply online for Social Security
benefits or Medicare, and check the status of your pending
application. If you’re already receiving Social Security
benefits, you can change your address, phone number, or your
direct deposit information, get a replacement Medicare card,
or get an instant proof of income letter. You also can get
your Social Security Statement online. Your
Statement lets you check and verify your earnings record
and see estimates of your future benefits. You also can find
out if your local office is open at
www.socialsecurity.gov/emergency.
That site lists any office closings and delays.
Also, make sure you receive your benefits electronically.
While the mail can be disrupted during severe weather or
other emergencies, electronic payments arrive in your
account on time, all the time, no matter what. Go to
www.socialsecurity.gov/deposit
to sign up or get more information.
RETIREMENT
Question:
I’m retired and the only income I have is from an Individual
Retirement Account (IRA). Are my IRA withdrawals considered
“earnings?” Could they reduce my monthly Social Security
benefits?
Answer:
No. We count only the wages you earn from a job or your net
profit if you’re self-employed. Non-work income such as
annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains, and
other government benefits are not counted and will not
affect your Social Security benefits. Most pensions will not
affect your benefits. However, your benefit may be affected
by a government pension from work on which you did not pay
Social Security tax. For more information, visit our
website at
www.socialsecurity.gov
or call us toll free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Question:
How do I earn a Social Security Credit?
Answer:
Social Security credits, sometimes referred to as quarters
of coverage, are the measure of your work under Social
Security. You earn Social Security credits when you work and
pay Social Security taxes. The credits are based on the
amount of your earnings. In 2014, you receive one credit for
each $1,200 of earnings, up to the maximum of 4 credits per
year. Each year, the amount of earnings needed for a credit
goes up slightly as average earnings levels increase.
Generally, a person needs 40 credits or 10 years to be
eligible for retirement benefits.
There are special rules for the self-employed. Read more
about self-employment and Social Security in our online
publication, If You Are Self Employed, available at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
To learn the amount of earnings required for Social Security
credits for prior years, see Quarter of Coverage at
www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/COLA/QC.html
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME
Question:
How can I apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
Answer:
If you are applying for SSI based on a disability, you can
start the process by going online to complete the disability
report at
www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi/ssi.html.
Then you can call us toll free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY
1-800-325-0778) to schedule an appointment with a
Social Security representative. When you meet with a
representative, bring the items listed in our online
publication, Supplemental Security Income (SSI),
available at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
Even if you do not have all of the things listed, apply
anyway. The Social Security staff in your local office can
provide guidance to help you get the information you need.
Question:
I was turned down for Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
can I appeal the decision?
Answer:
If you disagree with a decision made on your SSI claim, you
can appeal it. Learn more about appealing a decision,
including how to submit your appeal online, at
www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi/appeal.html.
DISABILITY
Question:
Does Social Security provide special services or information
for people who are blind or visually impaired?
Answer:
Yes. Social Security offers a number of services and
products specifically designed for people who are blind or
visually impaired. If you are blind or visually impaired,
you can choose to receive notices and other information from
Social Security in ways that may be more convenient for you.
To find out more about this service, go to our page, If
You Are Blind Or Visually Impaired — Your Choices For
Receiving Information from Social Security, at
www.socialsecurity.gov/notices.
Or call our toll-free number for more information at
1-800-772-1213, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through
Friday, or call or visit your local Social Security office
and ask us to read it to you.
Many of our publications, such as brochures and fact sheets,
are available in Braille, audio cassette tapes, compact
discs, or in enlarged print. Our publication, If You Are
Blind Or Have Low Vision — How We Can Help, and other
publications in alternative formats can be obtained by
calling, toll-free, 1-800-772-121 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). For
more information, see our page Public Information
Materials in Alternative Media at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/alt-pubs.html.
Question:
How do I know if I’ve worked long enough to get Social
Security disability benefits?
Answer:
To get Social Security disability benefits, you must meet
the definition of disability under the Social Security Act.
And you must have worked long enough—and recently
enough—under Social Security to qualify for disability
benefits.
The amount of work you need to qualify for disability
benefits depends on your age when you become disabled.
Generally, you need 10 years of work, and that must include
working 5 out of the last 10 years, ending with the year you
become disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with
as little as one and one half years of work earned in the
three-year period ending when the disability starts. See our
Disability Planner at
www.socialsecurity.gov/dibplan/dqualify3.htm for
credit requirements at different ages.
MEDICARE
Question:
I want to apply for Extra Help with Medicare
prescription drug costs. Can state agencies also help with
my Medicare costs?
Answer:
When you file your application for Extra Help with
Medicare prescription drug (Medicare Part D) costs, you also
can start your application process for the Medicare Savings
Programs—state programs that provide help with other
Medicare costs. When you apply for Extra Help, Social
Security will send information to your state unless you tell
us not to on the application. Your state will contact you to
help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program. To apply for
Extra Help and learn more, visit
www.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp.
While we’re on the subject of open seasons, the open
enrollment period for qualified health plans under the
Affordable Care Act is November 15 to February 15. Learn
more about it at
www.healthcare.gov.
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