Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. WikiHow’s Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. The wait times to talk to the Social Security Administration on the phone can sometimes be very long, sometimes exceeding 2 hours. So it’s a good idea to plan accordingly when you call them.
For more direct contact, visit a Social Security Office in your area. On April 7, Social Security reopened 98% of its 1,200 field offices. Yet just about 50% to 60% of its staff currently work on site in those locations, according to Grace Kim, deputy commissioner for operations at the Social Security Administration.
State and local government workers are not required to participate in the Social Security program if they participate in a public retirement system through their employers. However, state and local governments, through agreements known as Section 218 agreements, may elect to participate in the program. Of the 23.2 million state and local workers in the United States, about 6.6 million are not covered by Social Security. Other workers not covered by Social Security include federal employees hired before 1984, railroad workers, some family employees, some students, and some members of the clergy.
This is the same number that is printed on the Social Security card that SSA will issue you. If you change your name, you will need to get a corrected card. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Forced retirement is the involuntary job termination of an older worker. Mandatory retirement due to age is prohibited by U.S. law in most cases. In addition, should the surviving spouse remarry before age 60, they will forfeit the deceased spouse’s benefit.
Congress Seeks Ways To Reduce Social Security Customer Service Delays
Most offices will be open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm and closed on the weekends, but it’s important to read the hours for your local office just to make sure. Or, write a letter to Social Security Administration, Office of Public Inquiries, 1100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, or visit a local office. If you don’t think your problem can be solved by another method of communication, you can write a letter. Social Security advises that you only write a letter if none of the other methods have worked for you.
Benefits Authorizers process complicated changes of entitlements to existing beneficiaries, including life events, overpayments, underpayments, and so forth. The claims position is the higher-ranking of the two and initially required a college degree whereas the post-entitlement position did not. For decades, post-entitlement actions have been processed through a system known as Manual Adjustment, Credit and Award Processes .
- Find out how to report your lost, missing, stolen, or expired government check.
- Make copies of your information before submitting to your local office.
- Those changes will be listed when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.
- In some cases, individuals may be eligible for Social Security benefits and SSI benefits.
They’ll get you the answer or let you know where to find it. Social Security Disability Insurance is for people who have become disabled after earning enough Social Security work credits within a certain time. Use the Treasury Check Verification System to verify that the check is legitimate and issued by the government. Learn how to collect Social Security benefits while you’re overseas. Review the Social Security Administration’s frequently asked questions.
Get Ssa Benefits While Living Overseas
And learn why you received a check or direct deposit payment and how to make a payment to the government. U.S. citizens can travel to or live in most, but not all, foreign countries and still receive their Social Security benefits. You can find out if you can receive benefits overseas by using the Social Security Administration’s payment verification tool.
In the letter, include your Social Security Number and your claim. That includes the creation of a beneficiary advocate position within the agency to help ensure Americans’ concerns are voiced within the agency. This would be similar to the taxpayer advocate position that exists within the IRS. “SSA has been underfunded for too long,” said Kim during her testimony. “Without an adequate level of funding, we will not be able to continue our level of service or improve service to the level that really I would want to see us be able to deliver to the public.”
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Unless the divorce settlement specifies that you should get half of your ex-spouse’s income, then you won’t be able to collect his benefits. The Social Security Office of Earnings and International Operations is assisted by embassies around the world. The nearest embassy will be able to help you with your Social Security problem.