Phone Number Social Security Administration

Dealing With Social Security Benefits After A Death

Scam alert: Your social security number isn’t suspended

1Don’t keep Social Security benefits that are received after the death. If the deceased person was receiving Social Security benefits, any benefits paid out after the death must be returned. If a check is received, it shouldn’t be cashed and if there is a direct deposit made, you should ask the bank to return the funds.XTrustworthy SourceUS Social Security AdministrationIndependent U.S. government agency that administers Social Security and related informationGo to source

Tip: While it may be tempting to keep the money, especially in such a time of need, the Social Security Administration will require you to return the funds once they figure out that the funds were received after death.

2Ask about whether existing benefits will be transferred automatically. If the deceased person was receiving Social Security benefits, those benefits should automatically transfer over to their widow or widower. When you report the death, confirm that this is the case for you.

If you are the widow or widower but you are also receiving benefits, you will not receive the deceased’s benefits in addition to your own. In most cases the Social Security Administration will determine which benefits are higher, yours or your survivor benefits, and you will receive the higher amount.XResearch source

A widow or widower that is 60 or older

A widow or widower that is 50 or older and disabled

A widow or widower any age caring for the deceasedâs child who is under age 16 or disabled

What Is Social Security

In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. This new federal legislature started the collecting of taxes in 1937. Since then, working citizens across the United States began paying into social security in order to have a form of guaranteed income once they reached retirement age.

The Social Security Act was initially meant to be a form of basic retirement for working individuals. However, in 1939, an amendment was made to the act that allowed spouses and/or children to begin receiving social security survivor benefits if a parent or spouse was deceased and qualified for social security income.

Contacting Social Security Online

Unlike some other government websites , the Social Security website is easy to use for those who speak English and Spanish, and it offers nearly all of the services you need. The website does also offer some information in other languages online, including Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Vietnamese.

You can view a list of the online services by visiting the online services section of the website. Youll notice that you can apply for benefits, get a copy of your statement, appeal a decision by Social Security officials, and get estimates of your future benefits and Medicare services, among other things.

Just like the SSAs offices, the website has certain hours of operation during which you can conduct business. But take heart: If not 24/7, the hours are pretty extensive unless youre trying to apply for benefits between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, before 5:00 a.m. or after 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, or before 8:00 a.m. or after 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, the operational hours probably wont affect you.

Most experts say to avoid visiting a Social Security officeanother reason why it’s a good idea to start with the online services section of the SSA’s website.

How Do People Feel About Their Calls To Social Security Customer Support

Over the past decade, The Social Security Administration closed many of its field offices, which resulted in an increased number of calls to Social Security customer support. This, in turn, led to long wait times to speak to customer service representatives.

Media reports indicate that many Social Security call centers were plagued by low employee morale and high turnover. It should be noted, however, that Social Security Administration leadership has publicly committed to improved customer service.

How Do I Apply For Disability Benefits

If you need to apply for disability benefits, you have a few options. You can apply online, over the phone, or at your local office. The online application is the quickest and easiest way, but the other methods are available should you need them. Should you need to apply over the phone, simply call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 .

This site is not affiliated with the Social Security Administration or any other government agency.

How Do I Know If Social Security Is Calling Me

If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be Social Security beware. You can call Social Securitys customer service line at 800-772-1213 to confirm whether a communication purporting to be from SSA is real. If you get an impostor call or email, report it to SSA using their detailed online form.

What Documents Do I Need To Apply For Social Security

Documents the Social Security Administration may ask for include:

Your Social Security card or a record of your number.

Your original birth certificate, a copy certified by the issuing agency, or other proof of your age. The SSA must see the original document, or copies certified by the agency that issued them. The SSA cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies.

If you were not born in the U.S., proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status. The SSA must see the original document, or copies certified by the agency that issued them. The SSA cannot accept documents if they have expired. The SSA cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies.

A copy of your U.S. military service paper if you served before 1968. A photocopy is acceptable.

A copy of your W-2 form and/or self-employment tax return for last year. A photocopy is acceptable.

Email Our Support Team

Social Security Phone Scam Warning

Social Security cannot answer questions about economic impact payments under the recently enacted law, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. Treasury, not Social Security, will be making direct payments to eligible people. For more information, visit www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

Many of our services are now available online, like applying for Social Security benefits, requesting a replacement Social Security card, getting your Social Security Statement, and benefit verification letter.

You can also look for answers to your questions on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

We realize that each persons situation is unique. While we are unable to answer questions in this forum that require access to your personal information, such as benefits you may be entitled to, we care. Please toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available between 8a.m. and 7p.m., Monday through Friday. For the location and other information about your local Social Security office, use our locator.

If you cannot find your answer online and do not have a question about your personal situation, complete the form below to send us an email. Please do not include Social Security numbers in your message.

We are experiencing high volumes of email and may not be able to respond to your inquiry promptly. We appreciate your patience.

Thank you!

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Who Is Eligible For Social Security

The following people are eligible to receive social security benefits:

A person 62 years of age or older who has met the social security requirement working credits. This occurs by remaining employed for a steady and reasonable amount of time to pay into the social security fund.

A spouse under the age of 62 who has a dependent disabled child living with him or her.

High school students from the ages of 18 to 19 as long as they are enrolled full time in high school and have an unmarried status.

Any person with a disability that was legally verified before the person reached 22 years of age.

Divorced person who is unmarried and who is over 62 years of age may qualify for social security benefits from a previous spouse if they were married for more than a decade.

Contacting Social Security By Phone

The website is a great place to start, but sometimes the information provided may not seem to address your situation or answer your particular question. So your next step might be to call. Since Social Security doesnt publish the phone numbers of most local offices, you likely have to call the main number at 1-800-772-1213. Even if you have the number of your local office, you’ll probably want to start with the SSAs automated system.

If you call, you can perform many services through the automated system, including requesting a benefit verification letter and/or statement of your benefits, inquiring about the status of a claim, applying for a replacement card, finding the address of your local office, and conducting some business related to Medicare.

If the automated system isnt enough, you can speak to a representative between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Social Security Administration provides interpreters free of charge. You can call 800-772-1213 to speak with an interpreter who speaks Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese. You can also schedule in-person appointments, during which time the Social Security Administration office will arrange for an interpreter.

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How Can I Check My Social Security Benefits

The easiest way to check your benefits is by logging into your My Social Security account online through www.SSA.gov. Once you get logged into your account, you can view benefit statements, benefit estimates, earnings history, and the status of any pending applications. That site should be your go-to for any information related to your Social Security account.

Charlotte Social Security Office Driving Directions

How to get a Social Security number and a telephone number in the US ...

“please Do Not Give Out The Administrative Telephone Number!!!!the Office Is Located Off Sardis Rd At 2201 Coronation Blvd., Ste. 100, Charlotte, Nc 28227. The Office Is Located Between East Independence Blvd. And Monroe Rd. Off Sardis Rd.heading Southeast On E. Independence Blvd., Turn Right Onto Sardis Rd. North, Go About 1/4 Mile Past Crown Point Executive Dr. Turn Left Onto Coronation Blvd. The Office Is The First Building On The Left . Always Offer Online Services And Telephone Appointments If Possible

Old Age Survivors And Disability

SSA administers the retirement, survivors, and disabled social insurance programs, which can provide monthly benefits to aged or disabled workers, their spouses and children, and to the survivors of insured workers. In 2010, more than 54 million Americans received approximately $712 billion in Social Security benefits. The programs are primarily financed by taxes which employers, employees, and the self-insured pay annually. These revenues are placed into a special trust fund. These programs are collectively known as Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance .

SSA administers its disability program partly through its Office of Disability Adjudication and Review , which has regional offices and hearing offices across the United States. ODAR publishes a manual, called HALLEX, which contains instructions for its employees regarding how to implement its guiding principles and procedures.

The RSDI program is the primary benefits program administered by the U.S. federal government, and for some beneficiaries is the vital source of income. Increasing access to this benefit program for low-income or homeless individuals is one of SSA’s goals. SSA is a member of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and works with other municipal, county, state, local and federal partners to increase access and approval for SSI/SSDI benefits who are eligible.

Can I Apply For Medicare Benefits At This Scranton Office

If you decide to enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period, you can sign up for Parts A and/or B by: Visiting your local Social Security office. Calling Social Security at 800-772-1213. Before you decide how you want to go about applying for Medicare, you need to understand the different parts of the program and which ones you need. Learn More About Applying for Medicare.

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How Do I Apply For A Temporary Social Security Card

Requesting a replacement card online is the fastest way to get your new card however, if you need a temporary Social Security card, then you will need to head down to your local SSA office. While they will not technically issue a temporary card, they will give you a receipt showing that your new card has been requested. This receipt can act as a sort of temporary card in some cases.

Contacting Social Security In Person

Phone scammers impersonating Social Security Administration

When Social Security offices are fully reopened, if you cant resolve your problem or find the information you need on the website or over the phone, you can go to one of the field offices . In some casesif you need to request a Social Security card or update certain kinds of personal informationyou may have to visit an office.

But be forewarned: It probably wont be fun. You can schedule an appointment, though it could take weeks or more than a month to get one. Just heading to the office is an option, but youll probably wait more than a couple of hours to be seen. Some offices report lines out the door.

Staffing is an issue. Due to budget cuts to the SSA, there are fewer workers for an increasing number of applicants. And dont expect them to take an in-depth look at your situation. SSA employees don’t have the training or expertise to help you maximize your benefits the way a financial planner can. If you don’t have a financial planner or other professional who can help you make the right claiming choices, there are Social Security calculators that can help. The SSA also offers a number of online tools.

Some Social Security experts advise visiting multiple field offices in order to ensure that youre getting the most out of your benefits. One worker may misinterpret the rules and deny you benefits or other privileges for which youre eligible, so seeking multiple benefit estimates can help you find the best dealkind of like shopping for a new car.

Social Security Offices Within 100 Miles

This website is not associated with the Social Security Administration or any government services and is for general information only. Although we attempt to keep the information up to date, some information may be out of date. Please contact your local Social Security Office to obtain information directly from the SSA.

Notifying Social Security Yourself

1 If you are not using a funeral director that can report the death, you will need to do it over the phone or in person. The phone number for the Social Security Administration is .XResearch source

If you want to visit a Social Security Administration office, search online on the Social Security Administrationâs website for the office closest to you.

However, in most cases it will be quicker and easier to report the death over the phone.

If you are deaf and you need to call in to report a death, you can call the TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.

2Do not try to notify Social Security online. The Social Security Administration is unable to process death reports online. While you will be able to apply for survivorâs benefits online, actually reporting the death needs to be done in person or on the phone.XResearch source

However, you can find information about the process, what documents you will need, and how to do a notification at www.socialsecurity.gov.

After calling in the death, a copy of the death certificate will need to be sent to the Social Security Administration.

If it is taking a while to get a copy of the death certificate, you can still start the process of reporting a death. The process will just not be completed until the death certificate is filed.

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Best Practices For Calling Social Security Customer Service

You can call Social Security 24 hours per day to use its automated phone system. The system provides informational recordings and allows you to perform some business functions, such as requesting forms or checking on the status of a claim.

If you need to speak to a live operator, representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 am to 7 pm. TTY services are also available during this time. The Social Security Administration advises callers that wait times are shorter after Tuesdays.

Before calling Social Security, make sure you have your Social Security number in front of you, as well as any correspondence between you and the agency. You should also have pen and paper handy so that you can take notes during your call.

Service Changes Due To Covid

We urge you not to visit Service Canada Centres unless absolutely necessary.

Ask us to help you with the following programs by using eServiceCanada:

Employment Insurance
Canada Pension Plan , Old Age Security , Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits
Social Insurance Numbers

We will call you back within 2 business days.

You can complete the following tasks at a Service Canada office:

obtain general information about the SIN Program
apply for a SIN or obtain a confirmation of your SIN
update your SIN record

Proof of identity documents are required to apply for a SIN, obtain a confirmation of your SIN and to update your SIN record.

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