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When, Where And How: Tips On Filing For Social Security Benefits
There probably is nothing I'm asked more often than some version of this question: "When should I take my Social Security?" So today, I'm going to write yet another column about that topic – and the related issue of how to file for Social Security benefits.
But first, let me clarify the "when to file" part. As I've said over and over again in this column, I am not a financial planner, so I really can't advise you about the best time to start your Social Security benefits. That's a decision only you can make, perhaps after consulting a real financial planner.
I'm just an old retired Social Security guy. So all I can do is explain Social Security rules to you to help you make that decision. (In my book, Social Security: Simple and Smart, I have a whole chapter devoted to this topic. You might want to check it out. You can order the book online at Amazon.Com.)
So, whether you make that decision on your own, or with the help of my book or a financial planner, once you decide the month you want your benefits to start, many of you still want to know how far in advance you should file for those benefits. That is the "when to file" advice I am offering in this column.
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Let me begin by pointing this out: Your Social Security eligibility date is always a month, not a day. For example, let's say you were born on Aug. 25, 1957, and you want your benefits to start at your full retirement age (FRA). The full retirement age for people born in 1957 is 66 and 6 months, so you will reach full retirement age on Feb. 25, 2024. But the day you reach FRA isn't really an issue. It's the month that is key. In other words, your eligibility date isn't Feb. 25, 2024. It's just February 2024.
The Social Security Administration recommends that you file three months before your eligibility month. So, if you wanted your benefits to start in February 2024, you could start the ball rolling sometime in December 2023.
I used to advise people that there really was no need to rush because most Social Security retirement claims are very simple and the SSA would process them in literally a matter of days. In the past, I would have told people whose eligibility date is in February that they could even wait until January if they wanted and there would be a very good chance their first check would show up on time.
But I've heard from so many readers who report to me about delays in either getting through to the SSA in the first place or delays in getting their benefits started. So, I guess my motto for the time being is this: Better safe than sorry. File your Social Security claim three months before your first eligibility month.
But don't let me scare you. Once you contact the SSA, you've established what they call a "protective filing date" and your rights to benefits are guaranteed from that month forward. For example, let's say you wanted your benefits to start in January 2024. But for whatever reason, you didn't get around to filing your claim until January 25, 2024. Even though your claim might not finish processing until sometime in February or possibly even March, you will be paid back to January.
That's the "when to file" message. About three months ahead of time would be ideal. So now let's tackle the "how to file" issue.
Probably 90% of us have rather straightforward Social Security claims. That means you are just filing for your own Social Security benefits. In that case, I strongly recommend you file online at www.Socialsecurity.Gov. It's simple and easy. I did so a few years back and it probably took me all of a half-hour to finish the process. Check the website yourself and see how easy it is.
If you do have a scenario that you think might be complicated (like trying to get a combination of retirement and spousal benefits), then you should probably do that in person. Call the SSA at 800-772-1213 to set up an interview.
If you are filing for widow's benefits, that must be done by phone or in person. Claims for widow's benefits cannot be done online. That's because there may be filing options a widow has that are more easily explained by talking to someone in person rather than dealing with a computer online.
What documents do you need to file for Social Security benefits? It depends on the kind of benefit you are trying to get. Think of it this way: You usually have to provide some kind of evidence to support your eligibility for such benefits. For example, if it's a retirement claim, you need to prove you are old enough to qualify. To do that, you need a birth certificate. If you are filing for spousal benefits, you need to prove not only your age, but you also need to show you are married to the person on whose Social Security record you are applying. So that would be a marriage certificate. If you are a divorced spouse, you'd also need to provide your divorce papers. If you are wanting to apply for widow's benefits, in addition to proving your age and marriage, you also need a death certificate. In all cases, SSA wants to see original copies of these documents, or copies certified by the record issuer.
One document you don't need is your Social Security card. I hear from panicky people all the time who tell me they are about to file for Social Security benefits and they can't find their SSN card. I tell them to relax. You do not need the card when you sign up for Social Security.
Speaking of Social Security numbers, many divorced women tell me they are pretty sure they might be due benefits on an ex-spouse's Social Security record. But they don't have the guy's Social Security number and they are worried they won't get the benefits without the number. In these cases, the SSA will be able to find the ex's SSN. They might need some identifying information from you (like his name, date and place of birth, etc.), but you should be able to provide them with that.
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called Social Security – Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security. The other is Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts. You can find the books at Amazon.Com or other book outlets. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.Creators.Com.
Information For Employers
Students are allowed to begin work as soon as their work authorization is valid (CPT I-20, OPT EAD card), even if they do not yet have an SSN. We've included some additional resources on this below:
The Social Security Administration has provided the following guidance in a Dear Colleague letter:
"An F-1 or M-1 student may work while the Social Security number application is being processed. Employers may wish to reference Social Security's fact sheet, Employer Responsibilities When Hiring Foreign Workers. This fact sheet contains information on how to report wages for an employee who has not yet received an SSN and is available online at http://www.Socialsecurity.Gov/employer/hiring.Htm. There is no provision in the Social Security Act (the Act) that employers must have their employees' SSNs before hiring them. Neither is there any provision in the Act that prohibits an employee from beginning work if he or she has not yet obtained an SSN."
IRS has provided guidance "Delays in Issuing SSNs to Aliens by the Social Security Administration"
"There is no federal law administered by any federal agency which prohibits the hiring of a person based solely on the fact that the person does not have a Social Security Number (SSN). Similarly, there is no federal law which prohibits the making of a payment to a person based solely on the fact that the person does not have an SSN."
IRS's "Employer's Tax Guide" contains the following instruction regarding paperwork filing requirements for employees who have applied for, but not yet received, a Social Security Number:
"If you file Form W-2 on paper and your employee applied for an SSN but does not have one when you must file Form W-2, enter "Applied For" on the form. If you are filing electronically, enter all zeros (000-00-000) in the social security number field. When the employee receives the SSN, file Copy A of Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement, with the SSA to show the employee's SSN. Furnish copies B, C, and 2 of Form W-2c to the employee. Up to five Forms W-2c for each Form W-3c may now be filed per session over the Internet, with no limit on the number of sessions. For more information, visit the SSA's Employer W-2 Filing Instructions & Information webpage at www.Socialsecurity.Gov/employer. Advise your employee to correct the SSN on his or her original Form W-2. Page 9, Publication 15, Circular E: Employer's Tax Guide"
USCIS's I-9 fact sheet for F-1 students contains the following guidance to students about I-9 validation:
"What if I have not yet received a Social Security number (SSN)? An SSN is not required for Form I-9. It is required if your employer uses E-Verify, but E-Verify allows you to work while you wait for an SSN."
Social Security: Disability Part Of The Equation
People with disabilities play an important role in a diverse and inclusive workforce. We would like to tell you about Amy and her path to financial independence through work.
Amy has a developmental disability that affects her speech, learning and social interactions. When she was ready to find a path to financial independence through work, Amy turned to her State Vocational Rehabilitation agency for help. Amy's VR counselor told her about Social Security's Ticket to Work Program.
The Ticket Program supports career development for people with disabilities who want to work. Adults ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income qualify for this free and voluntary program. Through the Ticket Program, service providers offer free employment support services.
Amy had questions about how employment could affect her benefits. Her State VR counselor connected her with Full Circle Employment Solutions. Full Circle is an Employment Network with benefits counselors on staff who explained how working might affect her disability benefits.
Amy's benefits counselor also told her about Work Incentives. Work Incentives make it easier for adults with disabilities to enhance their job skills and gain work experience. They do so while receiving Medicaid or Medicare and Social Security benefits or SSI payments.
With a better understanding of these supports, Amy was ready to explore her employment options. She pursued an internship with Project SEARCH, a training program for young adults with developmental disabilities. Through Project SEARCH, Amy landed an internship that led to a permanent position with her local government.
Amy earned her way to financial independence and no longer receives SSI. Now, she's a union member, receives benefits through her job, and enjoys the security and stability that come with full-time employment. She's grateful for the support she received through the Ticket Program and looks forward to building the future she always hoped for.
"This job makes me feel needed and welcomed," she says. "I have learned about what motivates me and how to keep going, even when things get hard."
To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit choosework.Ssa.Gov, where you also can see a list of service providers. Or you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8 a.M. To 8 p.M. ET, and ask for a list of service providers.
You can also learn more by registering for a free, online Work Incentives Seminar Event webinar at choosework.Ssa.Gov/wise. Or you can text TICKET to 474747 to receive Ticket Program texts. Standard messaging rates may apply, and you can opt out at any time.
Q: My doctor said he thinks I'm disabled. Who decides if I meet the requirements for Social Security disability benefits?
A: We first will review your application to make sure you meet some basic requirements for Social Security disability benefits, such as whether you worked enough years to qualify. Then we will send your application to the disability determination services office in your state, often called the "DDS" or "state agency." Your state agency completes the disability decision for us. Doctors and disability specialists in the state agency ask your doctors for information about your condition. They consider all the facts in your case. They use the medical evidence from your doctors and hospitals, clinics or institutions where you have been treated, and all other information.
The state agency staff may need more medical information before they can decide if you are disabled. If more information is not available from your current medical sources, the state agency may ask you to go for a special examination. We prefer to ask your own doctor, but sometimes the exam may have to be done by someone else. Social Security will pay for the exam and for some of the related travel costs. Learn more at ssa.Gov/disability.
Q: If I go back to work, will I automatically lose my Social Security disability benefits?
A: No, Social Security has several work incentive programs to help people who want to work. You may be able to receive monthly benefits and continue your health care coverage during a trial work period. For information about Social Security's work incentives and how they can help you return to work, you should do one of the following:
• Visit our special work site at ssa.Gov/work.
• See the Red Book on work incentives at ssa.Gov/redbook.
• Check out our publications at ssa.Gov/pubs and type "work" in the search box.
For more information, visit ssa.Gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
This column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For fast answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at 800-772-1213 or visit www.Socialsecurity.Gov.
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