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We Are Here to Help You Realize Your Dream

January 17, 2017 • By

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Last Updated: January 17, 2017

man and woman on laptopJanuary 16 was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — a national holiday and a day of remembrance. Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life to creating and fostering equal rights for African Americans, and he died during his efforts to make his dream a reality.

Many people commemorate this holiday by serving their community and giving to others who may be less fortunate. In many ways, this is what Social Security does every day, all year long.

A great way to be of service to others is to help someone you know who may need assistance applying for Social Security, Medicare, or Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. This is easy to do at www.socialsecurity.gov.

Some people who need these benefits may not be comfortable with computers or may not even know applying online is an option.  But now, it’s easier than ever to apply for such benefits from the convenience of a home computer at www.socialsecurity.gov.

For example, it’s easy to apply for retirement benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline. It can take as little as 15 minutes from start to finish.  Once the application is electronically submitted, in most cases, there is nothing more to do.

It’s even easier to apply for Medicare, for people who do not plan to begin their Social Security retirement payments yet but who do want Medicare coverage. The application takes about 10 minutes and you can find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.

People who already have Medicare coverage, but who need help meeting prescription drug costs, can apply for Extra Help online at www.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp.

Whether you spent the holiday taking a trip to see the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C. or read or listened to a recording of his legendary I Have a Dream speech, we encourage you to use this holiday as a reminder to lend to hand to someone who can use your help. Lead them to www.socialsecurity.gov. It may be easy for you, but it may help someone you love realize their own dreams.

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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

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Comments

  1. Joyce

    I have applied four times and been turn down all four times I have been in in front of a judge and she denied my case and told me to go back to work … I went back to work and now I don’t have no feeling in my lift hand and I have 3 herniated bulging disc from my C2 to C7 are bone on bone pluse I lost 2mm in my spine now I have pain in my legs and I hurt like hell … ALJ is the person I truly wanna see again cause she acted like she feel my pain and the attorney she wasn’t no good cause she didn’t say s$#* in my defense … I’m broken down and once again asking for HELP …

    • De

      Get a disability lawyer

  2. *Onceinalifetimewoman*

    I don’t know what to think. There’s no reliable source of news anymore. I need help and no one cares six doctor’s and no one can help me my body is in pain get dizzy a lot have fallen and almost fell from being dizzy and have 20\20 vision but my vision is blurry sometimes. The meds make me worse or don’t always work. I keep getting denied SSI what would you do if you had no job were about to lose your house and have been diagnosed with 4 different mental illnesses. I’ve been abused in everyway in my life sexually verbally mentally physically have neuropathy in hands arms legs feet diabetes type 2 osteoarthritis in feet carpal tunel in right hand and migranes can’t lift heavy things. In America land of the brave home of the free if the disability determination people don’t care, than no one cares. Our country has always been rich but we still have veterans homeless, 65% people starving and in poverty with mental illnesses. My retired family member lives off of a $500 retirement check I’ve heard of more suicides than ever before since 2017 rolled in. What will become of me with an 8th grade education turned downed for so many jobs because I don’t qualify by their standard’s. In God I better trust because everyone has let me down.

    • *Onceinalifetimewoman*

      You can call me Ms.Barnett.

  3. Sharon M.

    Thank,s Please use U.S Mail PO Box 30054 Columbia . 209-6 Dawson Drive Columbia S.C the Lab top hurt my Eye Please use U.S Mail

  4. Dave

    My “dream” all those working years that I contributed to Social Security was that it was protected from creditors when I retired. Everything above $750. per month is subject to collections from Department of Education to repay student debt. I sincerely hope Congress can raise that protected amount to something more realistic to live on each month. What year was that 750 amount determination made, anyway?

    • No d.

      If you haven’t repaid your student debt by the time you retire, you are truly a deadbeat. Until we have free college in this county, you are responsible for the loans you take–don’t want to pay, don’t borrow.

  5. Carrie

    HAlfway thru application,,now it’s gone cannot reload.what the neck.

    • Ray F.

      Thank you for using our services online Carrie. If you are having trouble and cannot finish applying online, call our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you’ll have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day or later in the week.

  6. mathew p.

    my dream is for the crooks in the white house to pay back the money they robbed from ss 2.6 trillion !!!!!

  7. Ana M.

    Always good to read about ways SSI Can help Americans. I am currently going through my first ssi review process. I have allot of pains, so ssi is needed in my life more than ever. There needs to be a way Americans get a yearly review rather than waiting every 6+ years. That way you don’t scare them to death when it is time for a review. It would be better if we all had a scheduled case worker year around so if we have changes we can report them as soon as possible so as to update our cases.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Ana. We understand that a medical review can be stressful. The Social Security Administration conducts Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR) from time to time to make sure the individuals receiving checks are still eligible to get them. We only evaluate factors that permanently affect your ability to work. Also, we obtain and consider medical evidence from your doctor or other medical sources, if needed. For other factors that we consider in reviewing your disability status, please read our publication, “What You Need to Know: Reviewing Your Disability”. We hope this helps.

  8. Larry H.

    Thanks for the MLK article. On another topic, I received a text yesterday that reads as follows and please advise:
    Hey Larry!!
    You have been approved to Get Entitle UPTO $2,642/month in Social Security Disability Benefits. Apply Now
    We’ve helped thousands of people just like you through the disability/social benefits approval process.

    • John B.

      It’s a scam, so don’t fall for it. If you are 66 or older than you may qualify for close to that amount, but if you are 65 or younger than forget about getting that much.

      • tony

        Some of these organizations are not scam and actually help people scam Social Security disability.

        They help you scam Social Security to get that free disability money.

        If you don’t have a physical disability, then it is easy to get approved for a mental disability. All you need is to go to a psychiatrist/psychologist complaining of anxiety, depression, bipolar, pstd, etc. Then you apply to get that free disability money.

        Don’t believe the SSA’s strict definition of disability for mental illness. A licensed psychiatrist/psychologist who is an Acceptable Medical Source should be able to write up a good Medical Source Statement(MSS) or Residual Function Capacity(RFC) for you to get approved.

        Some of these organizations pay off these psychiatrist/psychologist for these medical records.

        The SSA only only pays these licensed psychiatrist/psychologist $140 for a CE exam. It is easy for the attorneys and representatives to pay off a licensed psychiatrist/psychologist to get them to be a treating source to challenge the CE exam.

      • tony

        These attorneys and representatives makes so much money that they can pay off SSA Administrative Law Judges.

        I never seen such a high approval rate at the ALJ level. The average approval is 44% and denial is 36%. The attorneys win over 50% of their cases.

        An attorney makes up to $6000 per winning case. An ALJ gets about $600 per case.

        Even if the attorneys loses 50% of their case, they average up to $3000 per case.

        An ALJ only average 2 case per day. The attorneys can average is more than this per day.

        Because the SSA cannot control the approval rate at the ALJ level, the SSA contributes to the fraud. It is a lucrative money maker for the attorneys and representatives.

        It is sad that none of the attorneys want to be ALJs because they make too much money and there is a shortage of good experience ALJs. The SSA has to hire some of the rejects that couldn’t make it in the private sector.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Larry. Please verify the legitimacy of the notices you received. Remember that our official agency correspondence, and responses are identified with our SSA seal and proper letterhead.
      Please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thanks.

  9. Stephanie J.

    What age can you apply for social security benefits

    • John K.

      You can apply at age 62 but in most cases it’s better to wait until you are older. For every additional month you wait you will receive a larger check for the rest of your life. Get advice from someone who knows the system well to maximize your benefits.

    • Denise w.

      Disabled ? Any time. No age requirement .

      • Tom

        Not true. Disability under social security was created for people who could not work until their full retirement age. So therefore, once you reach your full retirement age (currently age 66) there is no provision to pay you disability benefits. This was the result of an act of Congress.

        • Rodney T.

          So you mean to say ,once I reach the age of 66yrs old,they will cut off my as do money’s?

          • Ray F.

            When you receive disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, we will automatically convert your disability benefits to retirement benefits, when you attain your Full Retirement Age. The benefit amount will generally remain the same.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Stephanie. The earliest age you can apply for reduced retirement benefits is 62. We suggest you create a My Social Security account to review your earnings record and get an estimate of your future benefits. We hope this information helps!

  10. Marcel

    Welcome PRESIDENT TRUMP the 45th President of the United States of America!!!

    • Alonzo A.

      Please ,he is not the President until Jan. 20, after he is sworn in, Until then Obama is still the President.

      • Lovely

        you damn right!!!

Comments are closed.