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Social Security Secures Today and Tomorrow for Workers and Their Families

February 7, 2020 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: February 7, 2020

Social Security has tools, information, and services to help secure today and tomorrow for you and your family.

When you start receiving Social Security benefits, certain members of your family may also qualify for benefits on your record. Benefits may be paid to:

  1. Your spouse — To qualify for benefits, your spouse must be age 62 or older or be taking care of your minor child. We may ask for proof of marriage, and dates of prior marriages, if applicable.
  2. Your children — To qualify for benefits, your eligible child can be your biological child, adopted child or stepchild. We’ll need their Social Security numbers and birth certificates.
  3. Your adult child disabled before age 22 — To qualify for children’s benefits under our disability program, your disabled adult child must meet Social Security’s strict definition of disabled. A person is disabled under the Social Security Act if he or she can’t work due to a severe medical condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least one year or result in death.
  4. Your divorced spouse — If you are divorced, even if you have remarried, your ex-spouse may qualify for benefits on your record. If you have a divorced spouse who qualifies for benefits, it will not affect the amount of benefits you or your family may receive.

When you work, some of the Social Security taxes you pay now go toward survivors benefits for your family. The benefit amount your family is eligible for depends on your average lifetime earnings. The more you earned, the more your family’s benefits will be. You can visit our Benefits Planner to help them better understand Social Security’s family benefits as they plan for their financial future.

Visit our website to learn how we’re with you throughout life’s journey.

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About the Author

Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner

Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner

Comments

  1. DENNIS G.

    why are you sending me these?
    what good can come from you “talking to me”?
    i had an account with you but since i couldn;t remember
    the password/log in you cancelled it
    thus i’m not worth your while!
    a;so i just got a notice that you denied payment on my
    annua;l mammogram so i guess you don’t pay my bills
    anymore, anyhow?

  2. Barbara ".

    I haven’t been able to view & print my Social Security Statement SSA-1099.
    HELP Please.
    503-635-4338

    • BETTY G.

      bobbie,

      please DON’T SHOW your phone no. you can be harrassed galore by spammers, etc!

      use ss’s site CONTACT US to give them this info. best wishes to you.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Bobbie. We are sorry to hear you have had difficulty accessing your personal my Social Security account. If you are still unable to access an account or encounter a problem with your personal my Social Security account, you may:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “helpdesk”; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office. Your local office can also assist with a replacement SSA-1099. We hope this helps.

  3. Adan N.

    I and the organization is in a hardship environment, our financial is in disaster. We have no control over the 240 billion dollar organization. We workhard for our own self, partners and Federal Government. We’ve never rested nor we never get paid for our labor and our expenses we lost on the entirety. However the federal regulators have failed to uphold their own the rules and regulations of their own policy about business information about owners business and assets. We hereby to inform the government that we need a revision on the divided Entity and profitable inc and Nonprofit split. Additionally we request to run our own business from today. According to the law and the individual have a right to run his own or sole proprietorship. In regards to this we have lost numerous assest and the company regulations.
    We have reported multiple times on multiple occasions therefore the regulators decline to mention any aspect of their office power.

    Respectfully :
    Owner/CEO

    • BETTY

      spam?

  4. Rebecca H.

    I just received a call saying my benefits have been stopped because of suspicious activity? What is this?

    • BETTY G.

      SCAMMER !! get their phone no. so you can contact the REAL SS office. i’ve gotten these before.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Rebecca. Thanks for letting us know. Generally, we will only contact you if you have requested a call or have ongoing business with us. Recently, scams—misleading victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for Social Security number problems—have skyrocketed. Our employees will never threaten you for information or promise a benefit in exchange for personal information or money.

      If you receive a suspicious call like this: 1) Hang up. 2) Do not provide personal information, money, or retail gift cards. 3) Report suspicious calls here. For more information on how to protect yourself, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.

  5. carols

    Please make it clear to workers that the “Social Security taxes you pay . . . ” may result in you or your family receiving NO Social Security retirement/survivor benefits. I am referring to the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Both the GPO and WEP require you to pay Social Security Taxes, even though you will not receive any Social Security Retirement benefits.

  6. Shannon D.

    Is there any help if your check goes to the Bill’s household supplies, and gas and medicine and you only get $16 in food stamps to feed your child?

    • BETTY

      meds, try http://www.rxmeds.com … it is supposed to save you huge $$.

      i have not tried it; just read about it. good luck!

  7. Mel A.

    Family benefits are one of the things that make Social Security such a great social insurance protective program

  8. CHARLES H.

    I recently got half a dozen fraudulent calls in one day from someone calling themselves the legal dept of the ssa. I just hung up on them every time as I can smell a con job and that’s what this was. They used 800 phone numbers and were organized.

    • BETTY J.

      6 in one day; boy, they were not giving up on you. did you call ss and give them the 800 phone nos. they gave you?

      glad you didn’t cave in.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Charles. Thanks for letting us know. Generally, we will only contact you if you have requested a call or have ongoing business with us. Recently, scams—misleading victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for Social Security number problems—have skyrocketed. Our employees will never threaten you for information or promise a benefit in exchange for personal information or money.

      If you receive a suspicious call like this: 1) Hang up. 2) Do not provide personal information, money, or retail gift cards. 3) Report suspicious calls here. For more information on how to protect yourself, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.

  9. Andrey A.

    Hi my name is Andrey, please my address is new address is the 65 Camelot Dr Worcester. MA Thank you!

    • BETTY J.

      you need to send them this note in a PRIVATE message using their contact us at their web site.

      betty gordon, iowa

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Andrey. If you are receiving Social Security retirement or disability, you can create a personal my Social Security account to change your address online. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income, you should contact your local office immediately. Just a reminder – please be cautious about posting personal information on social media. We hope this helps.

  10. Kim K.

    I m still single .. My SSDI any Changed or Same ?? If Changed let me know Thanks , Kim Kunimura

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Kim. 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 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.

      • Tina V.

        ?

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