General, Online Services, Retirement, Survivors

Social Security Celebrates Black History Month

February 6, 2017 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: August 19, 2021

little girl hugging womanThroughout the month of February, we honor African Americans by celebrating Black History Month. Created in 1926, this event coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and Frederick Douglass on February 14. African American communities have celebrated these birthdays together for over a century.

Our great nation is rich in diversity. Honoring our shared history and reflecting on the past is one way we can honor America’s legacy of freedom. Another shared belief is that we all deserve a comfortable retirement, free of economic hardship. Our website, people like me, honors the many faces that compose the American melting-pot. It reiterates Social Security’s commitment to our diverse American population and is part of our pledge: securing today and tomorrow.

Social Security has the tools to help you plan for your retirement and to apply for benefits online. We also provide disability benefits to individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from working. If the disabled individual has dependent family members, they can also receive payments.

If you or anyone you know is disabled, they may qualify for disability benefits. Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a 1-in-4 chance of becoming disabled before reaching full retirement age. You can see if you meet our strict definition of disabled and apply for disability benefits.

Widows, widowers, and their dependent children may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits. Social Security helps by providing income for the families of workers who die. In fact, 98 of every 100 children could get benefits if a working parent dies. And Social Security pays more benefits to children than any other federal program. You can learn more by visiting Social Security survivors benefits.

Honoring each other begins with fair and equal treatment. Social Security guarantees that, if you pay into the system, you will have the same benefits as everyone else according to your earnings record. This Black History Month, we want to make sure our diverse nation is covered and that no one is left out of the benefits they deserve. We are with you through life’s journey. Get to know your Social Security. Visit people like me and learn more about how Social Security benefits African Americans and other diverse groups.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Comments

  1. Betsey H.

    I need a replacement SSA 1099 form but cannot get into my social security account. I got the user name, forgot the pass word, and entered incorrect answers to questions. My answers were correct. This is truly me, and I want to file my taxes by April 17, 2018. I am frustrated.
    Sincerely
    Betsey Heald

  2. Rendy

    Althought, their job nare very noble
    #Respect

  3. Joe F.

    I’m on SSDI and wish to know if I return to work on a part-time basis, will my Social Security benefit increase when I’m 66 years young..

    • Ray F.

      Hello Joe. Social Security strongly supports those individuals who want to return to the work force while supplementing their disability benefit income. We have special rules to help you get back to work without jeopardizing your initial benefits. Each year, we review the records for all working Social Security recipients to see if additional earnings may increase monthly benefits. However, keep in mind that we used the highest years of earnings to calculate your current (monthly) benefit amount. Please read our publication “Working while Disabled – How We Can Help” for more information.

  4. Joe F.

    I just turned 65 and I’m disabled. I’m looking into returning to work on a part-time basis..20 hours per week. What is the minimum wage today as I wish to make sure that returning to work will take care of some more needs that I have. I also with to know if the wages that I earn working part-time this year will be included in my benefit amount when I turn 66…

  5. Lesly F.

    I don’t it’s fair for a person like myserl who is disable and be 63 years old is going well and back to work again

  6. Yalova W.

    When Republicans say they want to "save" or "strengthen" Social Security, what they mean is that they want to cut Social Security benefits. + İlave olarak Now They're Deporting her -"used FAKE social security number" -crime. Here her if she voted too-another crime if so.

  7. perlin a.

    To Whom it may concern: I’m 70years young and I started working at 16yrs. and is still working.The problem is I retired 2 yrs before retirement age, which cost me about $400.00. Newly elected President D.Trump made a promise to lift many of us out of poverty. Well he can start by allow people, who have gone back to work and has worked many years pass retirement to be compensated and given their expected retirement so we can quit and allow more jobs for young people. That is if he wants to help lift people out of poverty as he has forecasted. Is there any addressing this problem? Please respond asap. Thanks

    • Hope F.

      perlin a. aldridge, Early Retirement is reduced for the rest of your life. I’m sorry.

      The President and other Republicans are not going to do Anything that will give those receiving Social Security Benefits more money.

      “In the case of early retirement, a benefit is reduced 5/9 of one percent for each month before normal retirement age, up to 36 months. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of one percent per month.

      For example, if the number of reduction months is 60 (the maximum number for retirement at 62 when normal retirement age is 67), then the benefit is reduced by 30 percent. This maximum reduction is calculated as 36 months times 5/9 of 1 percent plus 24 months times 5/12 of 1 percent.”

      Early or Late Retirement?-
      https://www.ssa.gov/oact/quickcalc/early_late.html

  8. Peter W.

    How is someone going to bury their love ones, if they only get $255? That money is a joke, but I understand we need to have life insurance until the day we die.

  9. Susan

    I do hope that government waste of tax dollars spent on nonsense such as SSA touting National Black History Month comes to the Trump administration’s attention. I have noticed a reduction in the daily propaganda I receive in the form of emails from SSA. I signed up for these communications because I wanted to stay informed on issues that really matter to a social security recipient. Where in the SSA operations manual does it say you need to spend time and money communicating to us about Black History Month?

  10. Dr E.

    Support Obamacare and fight the repeal. Do not let them take away our healthcare

    • Elizabeth

      What healthcare my deductible is so high I can’t use it.

    • Susan

      Dr Edith…you can’t possibly be a medical doctor. Repeal of Obamacare does not mean anyone is going to lose their healthcare and you know it. You obviously are mighty proud of the PhD behind your name. Too bad all it signals is that you are a liberal mouthpiece for Obamacare. Obamacare is just taxpayer funded healthcare for the poor and believe me, that’s not going away.

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