Expand Your Social Security Knowledge With These Four Terms
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 2, 2023
We strive to explain your benefits using easy-to-understand, plain language. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to communicate information clearly in a way “the public can understand and use.” This can be particularly challenging when talking about complicated programs like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare.
Take a moment to learn a few common Social Security terms and acronyms!
COLA
This stands for “Cost-of-Living Adjustment.” With COLAs, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits keep pace with inflation. Most years, your monthly benefit amount will get a COLA, which usually means extra money.
Credits
As you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits – previously called “Quarters of Coverage” – that count toward your eligibility for future Social Security benefits. You can earn a maximum of four credits each year. Most people need 40 credits to qualify for benefits. Younger people need fewer credits to qualify for disability or survivors benefits. For more information, see our publication covering Social Security Credits.
Earnings Record
This is the chronological history of the amount of money you earned each year during your working lifetime. Your credits remain on your Social Security earnings record even when you change jobs or have no earnings for a period of time. Review your earnings record with a personal my Social Security account.
FICA
This stands for “Federal Insurance Contributions Act.” It’s the tax withheld from your wages that funds the Social Security and Medicare programs.
Now, if any of these terms or acronyms comes up in conversation, you can help explain what they mean. Visit our online glossary to learn more of our terminology and deepen your understanding of how Social Security works for you.
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Tags: COLA, FICA, General Information, my Social Security, my Social Security account, online services, social security, Social Security benefits
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halic
he lived with got evicted and moved to mexico. I called and told SSA she was moving in with me and why. They sent us to local payee but she wanted to change from that one to the one reginal center uses. She moved in in Nov 2021 and hasn’t had any income since. She has cerebral palsy and retardation has been on SSDI, SSI, medical, and medicare under father’s work record they stopped her SSDI and medicare and put overpayment on her. So they was taking $100 out of her SSI benefits.
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neha
Thank you for such an informative blog. Study visa consultant in Karnal
Kartik A.
A rigid body is an idealization of a body that does not deform or change shape. Formally it is defined as a collection of particles with the property that the distance between particles remains unchanged during the course of motions of the body.
Like the approximation of a rigid body as a particle, this is never strictly true. All bodies deform as they move. However, the approximation remains acceptable as long as the deformations are negligible relative to the overall motion of the body.
Lisa
I’m REQUESTING status of my social security and supplemental security…
Seems like I have asked this alot and nothing has been done…My son Dakota truck is broke down…I HAVE NO MONEY TO FIX IT, CANT GO TO THE STORE, CANT GO TO THE DOCTOR….WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS
A.C.
Hi, LIsa. We are sorry to hear about your situation. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Dean S.
I am confused about the deadline date on the application to “receive a signed copy of the application”. Where so I sign? Or, is my electronic application considered my signature?
Dwayne J.
The cerebral cortex, also known as the cerebral mantle, is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain in humans and other mammals. The cerebral cortex mostly consists of the six-layered neocortex, with just 10% consisting of allocortex.
It is separated into two cortices, by the longitudinal fissure that divides the cerebrum into the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The two hemispheres are joined beneath the cortex by the corpus callosum. The cerebral cortex is the largest site of neural integration in the central nervous system.[3] It plays a key role in attention, perception, awareness, thought, memory, language, and consciousness. The cerebral cortex is part of the brain responsible for cognition.
In most mammals, apart from small mammals that have small brains, the cerebral cortex is folded, providing a greater surface area in the confined volume of the cranium. Apart from minimising brain and cranial volume, cortical folding is crucial for the brain circuitry and its functional organisation. In mammals with small brains there is no folding and the cortex is smooth.
DMV
Local SSA office, continuously, automatically transferring calls to national SSA number.
Then, I was 40 minutes on a call that took FOUR (4) minutes for the national representative (very helpful but could not resolve the issue pending at local office) send me back to the local office.
Again, the local office, (866)269-4250, at 6500 W 21st CT, Hialeah, FL, 33016, rolled over the call back to the national register.
The announcement: “..calls to the local office are currently being forwarded to social security national 800 number for assistance.” All week up to this moment 12:09pm Friday, October 7, 2022.
A.C.
Hi. We are sorry to hear about your experience. You can submit feedback by visiting our Contact Social Security page. Once there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email A Question to our Support Team” form where you can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. If this is a time sensitive issue, you may want to visit your local Security Security office. Keep in mind most local offices have resumed in-person service for people without an appointment. Customers who walk in without appointments may encounter delays. Visit How to Get Help from Social Security to learn more, including what to know if you need to visit an office. We hope this helps..
Nanette
DITTO
Zrivo
“We strive to explain your benefits using easy-to-understand, plain language. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to communicate information clearly in a way “the public can understand and use.” This can be particularly challenging when talking about complicated programs like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare. https://www.zrivo.com
A.C.
Hi. We are sorry to hear that. The decision to change your direct deposit account and select a different financial institution is a personal one. If you are receiving Social Security retirement or disability, you can create a personal my Social Security account to change your address online, once you have a new account. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income, you should contact your local Social Security office immediately. We hope this helps.
APRIL S.
Hartsville South Carolina and Darlington South Carolina and Florence South Carolina and P-EBT K-12 $391.00
Misty
I am dealing with fraud with my direct express account can I cancel it and pay social security the overdrawn amount and start a direct deposit with my bank
Linda
How do you speed up getting payee approved faster. My sister had her benefits stopped after the payee she lived with got evicted and moved to mexico. I called and told SSA she was moving in with me and why. They sent us to local payee but she wanted to change from that one to the one reginal center uses. She moved in in Nov 2021 and hasn’t had any income since. She has cerebral palsy and retardation has been on SSDI, SSI, medical, and medicare under father’s work record they stopped her SSDI and medicare and put overpayment on her. So they was taking $100 out of her SSI benefits. But she shouldn’t have had SSDI and medicare stopped in first place from what I read. She married a man but he was mentally challenged also. It says that if a mentally challenge person gets married to someone like them the SSA checks to see the best option give her better way of life.
A.C.
Hi, Linda. Thanks for visiting our blog. Unfortunately, your sister’s situation is a bit more complex than we can handle in this forum. For hersecurity, we do not have access to private information in this venue. Please contact her local Social Security office for assistance. You are she can ask to speak to a supervisor on your next call or visit. We hope this is resolved soon.
APRIL S.
Hartsville South Carolina and Florence South Carolina and Darlington South Carolina and SSA and SSDI and SSI and $1,400.00 and Child Tax Credit Monthly check $2,000 and P-EBT K-12 and $391.00
Arthur C.
brazyc811@gmail.com