Online Services, Retirement

Going Online with Social Security Isn’t Hard Work

November 7, 2016 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: November 7, 2016

goingonlineSummer is just a memory. Long gone is the day when you fired up the grill with family and friends in the backyard on Labor Day. It’s time to put away the shorts and bring out the jackets.

When you’re raking the leaves, remember that the best part of labor isn’t the single day off you get each year, but the Social Security retirement benefits you earn through the years that you work.

And, just as you choose what kind of work to do over a lifetime, you can choose how you wish to file for your retirement benefits. While some may prefer to apply in person at their local Social Security office, an increasing number of retirees are finding it easier and more convenient to claim their benefits by retiring online at www.socialsecurity.gov. In fact, more than half of all retirees now file for their Social Security retirement benefits online!

When you file for your retirement benefits online, there’s no need to fight traffic getting to a Social Security office, because you can apply from the comfort of your home or office. The process of applying for retirement benefits can take as little as 15 minutes, but if you have to go back to work, you can save your application and return to it later.

If you’re close to retirement, you may want to take advantage of our retirement planner at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/retire, where you can get detailed information about your Social Security retirement benefits, and what you may want to consider as you prepare for your future.

In addition, you should check out our Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator, which will give you an instant, personalized estimate of your future benefits. You can plug in different ages and scenarios to help you make a decision on retirement even if it’s many years way.

At Social Security, our highest priority is protecting the privacy and security of the personal information we maintain on you and almost every American so you can rest assured that doing business online with us is both safe and secure.

Social Security has the online services to help at www.socialsecurity.gov, whether you are retiring now, or whether you have many more season changes in your future.

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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

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Comments

  1. COLE

    I have been trying to contact Social Security for over 5 months via the phone and yet to get to a live person. They give you a estimated wait time and they time comes and goes by hours and yes I mean hours. I called at 8 am in the morning and was still on hold LITERALLY at 3:35 pm before their system finally hung up on me – SO NO I DID NOT GET TO SPEAK TO ANYONE. Two months later I am still trying. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!

    • COLE

      HOW DOES ONE FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE RIDICULOUS WAIT TIMES ON THE PHONE FOR SS? The only complaint I find for SS is about Fraud. Can anyone tell me where and who to complain too?

      • R.F.

        Hi Mr. Cole. To submit your comment, complaint or suggestion, you can write to us or send us an email message. Thanks.

    • R.F.

      We apologize for the long wait, and regret to hear that we did not provide the level of customer service you expected. Remember, many services are conveniently available anytime at our website, and beneficiaries can create a personal my Social Security account to manage their Social Security benefits. Sometimes we experience higher than normal call volume. Generally, when calling our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later during the week. Our representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. We thank you for your understanding and for bringing this matter to our attention. Please try again.

    • Susan

      I made the mistake of applying for ss and medicare online…they need more information, so all I am doing now is playing phone tag with ss. I am afraid this will put me outside of the insurance exchange deadline. Do not file for any service online unless you like playing phone tag.

      • R.F.

        We are sorry to hear that you are having difficulty reaching someone by phone, Susan. You can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. One of our agents may be able to assist you to complete the processing of your application. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. They can also help you schedule an appointment with your local Social Security office if necessary. In your case, an appointment is not required, but if you schedule one, it may reduce the time you spend waiting to see a claims representative. Please note that applying online, established a protective filing date that protects your future benefits. We hope this helps.

  2. Louise H.

    My account was hacked and had to get new checks.i recieved my checks and called ssi.she said i had to give her my old number ut for some reason she said it was wrong. Whhat do i do. Thanks

  3. Mack Q.

    assisted living is nice if you got some people and a home that cares very much to its occupants**

    https://wikipedia.org

  4. tammy

    Honestly, It will not matter if they cut the program or not. I have made it through life without any help whatsoever from social security and I am sure others can too (and yes, I am totally physically disabled). Social security has NEVER BEEN THERE FOR ME, EVER, I have paid into it my entire life, but never received one red cent from them. What upsets me is how the social security system uses special “Rules” to disqualify people who really need the help.

    =========================================
    I am 45 years old, a mother of three older children and physically disabled ( I was born with cerebral palsy ). I’ve never collected one red cent of money from the Socialist Security System, even though I have applied several times and they find me disabled.

    Technically, I am an “adult disabled child” (please look this up, it is NOT SSI or SSDI) but have never been able to secure any benefits whatsoever from the Socialist Security system, even under that program because I got married to an “Able bodied person”. The Socialist Security system is too busy paying benefits to some people who scam the system and worrying about adult disabled children (who they pay benefits to off of a parents record) marrying an able bodied person. This gives them the justification to cut off benefits to the adult disabled child because the husband (in theory) can now support the disabled person. This theory works great, if your husband is rich and you have no need for money but what it actually does, is to force two adults (one disabled one able bodied person) to live off of one income. In the real world, the socialist security system is forcing adult disabled children to only marry other disabled persons (and NO able bodied persons) at the threat of loosing any and all benefits that they are entitled to.

    If you are a physically disabled person (an adult disabled child) and you happen to marry an “able bodied person” you will be loosing out on a lifetime of benefits, all because of a one word “rule” that prohibits you from marrying an “able bodied person”. Best of all, they never tell you about their “Rule” so that they can justify cutting off any benefits that you may be due.

    Because you are physically disabled (adult disabled child) and you choose not to marry another adult disabled child or disabled person drawing off socialist security, you WILL LOOSE ANY AND ALL BENEFITS FOR LIFE. This means that the SOCIALIST SECURITY system is TELLING YOU WHO YOU ARE ALLOWED TO MARRY and who you are
    NOT ALLOWED TO MARRY! It is a discriminatory act “rule” and should be ILLEGAL!

    Even though I am permanently and totally disabled, if I marry an “able bodied person”, somehow that marriage makes everything ok and I am no longer considered disabled (in the eyes of the socialist security system). Magically (because I married an able bodied person), the pixie fairies come down and cure my disability, because now I can just go out and find gainful employment, no one will discriminate against my physical disability and everything will be grand, right? Somehow magically, marrying an able bodied person makes my physical disablility dissappear and now I am cured, right? WRONG!

    The issue is a special “Rule” that the Socialist Security System uses to discriminate against “certain” people. If you are a “physically disabled person” (AKA-certain people) and happen to marry an able bodied person, then the SOCIALIST SECURITY system will use special “Rules” to legally discriminate against you and deny you benefits, even if you appeal online.

    The SOCIALIST SECURITY system has caused me a lot of economic hardship all because I married an able bodied person. The SOCIALIST SECURITY system thinks someone who is physically disabled (permanently and totally disabled) marries an “able bodied person”, that somehow magically they are cured of their physical disability and two people can survive off the able bodied persons income. WOW, talk about a bunch of bureaucratic idiotic thinking, that somehow this would not cause a financial hardship….. amazing.

    The rules that the Social Security Administration uses to legally discriminate against persons who are “Adult Disabled Children” who happen to marry an able bodied person, are discriminatory. This is loosely referred to as the “marriage penalty” but I call it exactly what it is, a legal form of discrimination.
    I firmly believe this rule, is an act of bias, prejudice and discrimination against people who (by no fault of their own) are born disabled and happen to marry an able bodied person

    Please write your Congressional Representative and tell them to end this modern day form of Legal Discrimination. In this day of fairness and equality, there are still some people suffering from an outdated and oppressive bureaucratic rule.

    (PS. notice how the only thing any of these SOCIALIST SECURITY workers ever say are quotes of the rules or processes, like a worker drone. They are unable to address any topics that fall outside of their rule books). Typical bureaucracy and bureaucratic responses, like trying to argue over lost change with a vending machine

  5. Patti

    Dear Commissioners of Social Security,

    With the new administration coming into office very soon, I would like to address my anxiety of what is going to happen to SS and SSDI. I am worried about the talking of the Republican Party wanting to privatize the program and/or make cuts to the programs. As you know each of us depend on the benefits we receive and don’t want to hear rumors of cutting the program or whatever. Please protect the program.

    • R.F.

      We understand your concern Patti. Currently, there have been no changes to the Social Security programs. According to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the combined assets of the Social Security trust funds are projected to be depleted in 2034. If Congress does not act before then, there will only be sufficient income coming in to pay 79 percent of scheduled benefits. For more information, please visit https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/2016/index.html. We hope this helps.

  6. maria N.

    necesito my social security

  7. maria N.

    necesito mi card

    • Ales

      Vas a conseguir tu card, pero necesitas acceder a tu panel de control del SSA GOV, una vez que hayas logrado, te va a funcionar.

      Un abrazo

      Salvatore del website https://www.significadosnomes.com/

      Muchas gracias, equipo SSA

  8. Naud P.

    Hi SS ! I am 57 years old ! Had prostate cancer surgery, now I am having urinary incontinents very embarrassing and I would very much like to file for Sociel Security after contribution for over 36 years , what do I do.? I need help please thank you .

    • A.C.

      Hi, Naud. We’re sorry to hear about your health conditions. You may qualify for Social Security disability benefits if you have a medical condition that has prevented you from working or is expected to prevent you from working for at least 12 months. If you think that you meet our definition of disability, you can apply online. For more information visit our “Frequently Asked Questions” web page on disability.

  9. Lavern

    Thanks , I have just been looking for information approximately this subject for a while and yours is the best I’ve discovered so far. However, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you certain in regards to the supply?

    http://www.iamsport.org/pg/pages/view/29559219/

    • Alex

      I know isn’t a hard work, actually I help many friends that does not understand about work with Social Security online, thank you for keeping us well informed about what’s happening around SSA

      If you have some doubt I can help you.

      Alex https://seucarro.net/

  10. tony

    I get the free disability money. I have a representative payee. The local office wouldn’t let me change my address and only can input one address into the system which was the representative payee. All of the mail gets sent to the representative payee. I can’t even change the address on My Social Security account.

    I get free Medicare too. The Medicare Advantage plan told me that my address doesn’t match what is in the record for Medicare.

    How can Social Security bust someone for fraud if they don’t even know where the person live.

    • tony

      The CDI Unit will be waiting forever for me to come out of the house because I don’t live there.

    • Marc P.

      Ah yes, I left out one group- the trolls. Welcome back, Tony. We can always rely on you for your cut and pasted “fraud” posts.

Comments are closed.