Social Security Information

The Social Security program was created 75 years ago to help provide you and your family with income after retirement, provide you with assistance if you become disabled, and to help provide financial security for your family when you pass away.

What Is Social Security? One of the most common questions is "What Is Social Security and how can it benefit me"? The answer isn't always the same because it depends upon your financial situation and whether you need the additional income after you retire or if you become disabled.

As you approach retirement, deciding when to claim your Social Security retirement benefits is one of the most important decisions you can make. You will need to decide if you want to retire early, wait until you reach full retirement age, or delay retirement and collect larger monthly retirement benefits.

Feel free to explore the links and Social Security information that we have provided to help you determine when you are eligible for Social Security and how to get the most out of your Social Security benefits.

Where do you start?

1. You need to know when you are eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits.

2. If you are disabled, you will need to determine if you qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for disability.

3. You and your family will need to understand how they can receive Social Security Survivors benefits when you die.

We realize that at times it can be difficult to keep track of the federal government social services that you are eligible to receive. It is very easy to get Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid mixed up at times.

While they are all seperate government programs, they are also connected. We provide you with information and links that will help you have a clearer picture of the differences between Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare programs, and the Social Security Administration (SSA).

While Social Security and Medicare are two different programs, they are related. If you receive Social Security benefits you may automatically qualify for Medicare.

In general, most people are looking for Social Security information related to:

What do I do about a lost Social Security check? If your Social Security check is not delivered by mail on its due date, Social Security recommends that you wait three working days before reporting the missing check. The most common reason that Social Security checks are late is because a change of address wasn't reported.

If your Social Security check is lost or stolen, you should contact your local Social Security office immediately. Your check can be replaced, but it will take time.

Always remember to deposit or cash your Social Security check as soon as you possibly can. Don't sign or endorse your check until you are at the location where you are going to cash it.

The best protection against a stolen or lost Social Security check is to sign up for direct deposit. Direct deposit is a safe, secure and simple way to get your Social Security benefits deposited on time directly into your bank account.

What are Social Security deductions used for? Social Security deductions are used to pay for your Social Security retirement benefits, to pay your benefits to surviving spouses and children, for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and for Medicare health insurance.

The Social Security deductions from an employee's paycheck are matched equally by the employer. There are two Social Security taxes. The first is the actual Social Security tax for retirement and other benefits. The second is the Medicare tax that pays for your Medicare coverage.

Replacement Social Security cards - What happens when you lose your Social Security card or even worse it is stolen? Most communities have a local Social Security office where you are able to replace a lost or stolen Social Security card. For more information on getting a replacement Social Security card.

How to get Social Security - It depends on what type of Social Security benefit you need. If you want Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) there are certain requirements you must meet in order to qualify for SSDI benefits.

If you have reached retirement age, you probably want to know how to get your Social Security Retirement Benefits. Can you retire early? What is the normal retirement age? Are they going to raise the retirement age for Social Security?

If your spouse has passed away, you will need to see if you can get what are called Social Security Survivors Benefits for you and your family. What members of your family are eligible to receive survivor benefits?

What do you need in order to be eligible for Social Security benefits and how does that occur?

Can I get Medicare or Medicaid with my disability benefits? If you are approved for Social Security disability benefits you will receive Medicare benefits if the source of your disability benefits are Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) funded. You will get Medicaid if the source of your disability funding is Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Social Security in 2012 - What changes in Social Security will occur in 2012 and how will those changes affect you? Monthly Social Security checks for most beneficiaries will increase in 2012. Due to the increase in the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) your 2012 Social Security benefits will increase.

Important Social Security and Medicare update - Beginning January 1, 2010, changes in the law made it easier for some people to qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act stipulates that life insurance policies will no longer count as a resource AND the help you receive from someone else to pay your household expenses like rent, food, mortgage, utility and property taxes, will no longer count as income.

You can apply for Extra Help by completing the Social Security Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs. You were able to apply after January 1, 2010, at your local Social Security office or online.

After you apply, Social Security will review your application and send you a letter to let you know if you qualify for the Extra Help. Once you do qualify, you can choose a Medicare prescription drug plan. If you do not select a drug plan, Medicare will do it for you. The sooner you join a plan, the sooner you can start receiving your benefits.

Apply for Social Security - How and where do you apply for Social Security disability benefits and retirement benefits? First you need to find out if you are eligible for Social Security benefits.

More specific Social Security searches are for:

Social Security calculators -There are three different Social Security calculators available. The quick calculator gives you a simple estimate based on your age and current year's earnings. The online calculator requires you to give a complete earnings history to estimate your retirement benefits. The detailed calculator provides the best estimate but you must download it to your computer.

Social Security disability requirements - In order to qualify for Social Security disability benefits you must have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. You must also have a medical condition that meets the Social Security definition of disability.

Social Security jobs -Social Security was rated as one of the top ten places to "Work in the Federal Government". The Social Security Administration continues to hire new employees to fill nationwide vacancies and provide Social Security careers.

 Trouble collecting Social Security disability benefits - If you are having difficulty collecting your Social Security disability benefits, there are Social Security law firms like Binder and Binder, The Shaw Group and many others that can assist you with your Social Security disability case. These type of law firms have Social Security attorneys that specialize in dealing with the Social Security Administration and in helping you get your disability benefits.

Your Social Security Statement - For more than twenty years, Social Security has been helping Americans plan and save for their retirement with an important tool: The Social Security Statement. More than 150 million people received a Social Security Statement by mail in 2011. You should have got one yourself, about two to three months before your birthday. Hopefully, you did take the time to review it.

The Social Security Statement gives you an estimate of the monthly Social Security retirement benefit you could receive at different retirement ages and estimates of disability and survivors benefits. When it comes to planning your financial future, that's very valuable information.

If you are having financial difficulty and need some assistance, there are many private and government welfare programs that are available to help you. Some of the programs provide food and money. Other programs help you get out of financial debt and improve your financial situation.

We hope that you have found this Social Security Information Web site helpful. If you are interested in more Social Security Information please visit the What is Social Security page for more information.

The official U.S. Government Social Security Web site is SSA.gov and SocialSecurity.gov.