How To Get A Social Security Card
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What Documents Do You Need To Apply For Retirement Benefits
We request different documents depending on your circumstances. You can help by being ready to provide the information and documents listed below. You can also use our Checklist For The Online Medicare, Retirement, And Spouses Application to help you gather the information you need to apply.
Documents we 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.We must see the original document, or copies certified by the agency that issued them. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies.
- If you were not born in the U.S., proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status. We must see the original document, or copies certified by the agency that issued them. We cannot accept documents if they have expired. We 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.
We will return all documents and photocopies unless specifically told otherwise.
Earn Ssa Work Credits In Some Countries
You may not have enough credits from your work in the United States to qualify for retirement benefits. But, you may be able to count your work credits from another country. The SSA has agreements with 24 countries. If you earned credits in one of those countries, they can help you qualify for U.S. benefits.
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How Do I Apply For Retirement Benefits
To apply for retirement benefits, please visit www.ssa.gov/retire. In order to be eligible for retirement benefits, you must have enough credits have paid into Social Security and be fully insured under the Social Security system. The amount you receive depends on how much you earned when you were working. You can also delay applying for Social Security retirement. If you do so, your extra income may increase your benefit amount, and you will receive a credit. To find out more, please call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
Is It Better To Retire Early Or Go On Disability
If you are approaching early retirement age and also have become disabled, you may be unsure whether you should take an early retirement or apply for disability until you reach full retirement age.
On the one hand, if you already know you have enough work credits to retire, the processing of starting your retirement benefits will be a lot easier than going through the laborious process of applying for disability.
On the other hand, you may not want to sacrifice the extra monthly benefits you could get if you waited until full retirement or age 70 to begin collecting benefits. If youre not too concerned about your financial stability, opting for early retirement might not seem like a big deal, especially if you have a pension through your employer or other types of retirement accounts like an IRA or 401K.
However, if youre like many Americans, you may need all the help you can get from the Social Security Administration. In this case, its most likely better to get approved for disability benefits rather than take an early retirement and lose out on your hard-earned benefits. While it can be true that getting approved for SSDI can take time, effort, and patience, disability benefits can offer you a kind of flexibility that retirement cantespecially if theres a chance of your disability improving.
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What Is A Social Security Card
Your Social Security card is an important piece of identification. You’ll need one to get a job, collect Social Security, or receive other government benefits.
When you apply for a Social Security number , the Social Security Administration will assign you a nine-digit number. This is the same number that is printed on the Social Security card that SSA will issue you. If you change your name, you will need to get a corrected card.
Eligible Family Members Include:
- Ex-spouses, if the marriage lasted for at least 10 years and they have not remarried
- Children under 18, or up to 19 if still enrolled in high school
- Children of any age who were disabled before 22 — that is, not earning more than $1,260 per month in 2020, having a medical condition that results in severe functional limitations and that is expected to last 12 months or longer or result in death
Spouses and ex-spouses must be at least 62 in order to claim benefits, and spouses and children must wait for the worker to begin claiming benefits themselves before they can claim family benefits on their record.
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How Do I Apply For Medicare Benefits
If you are already receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits or railroad retirement checks, Social Security will contact you a few months before you become eligible for Medicare and give you the information you need to register. You should sign up for Medicare even if you dont plan to retire at age 65, or you may be penalized a 10% premium surcharge for each year past age 65 that you do not have Medicare. However, if you are age 65 or older and are covered under a group health plan either from your own employment or you are covered from your spouses employment, you may delay enrolling in Medicare medical insurance without having to wait for a general enrollment period or pay the 10% premium surcharge for late employment. The rules allow you to:
- Enroll in Part B any time you are covered under the group health plan, or
- Enroll in Part B during an eight-month special enrollment period that begins with the month your group health coverage ends or the month your employment ends, whichever comes first
I disagree with the SSAs decision on my claim. How can I appeal? Please visit www.ssa.gov/pubs/10041.html or call 1-800-772-1213 to file an appeal. All appeals should be sent to your local office to find your local office, please visit www.ssa.gov/locator.
How Much Will Your Divorced Spouse Receive
If you have not applied for retirement benefits, but can qualify for them, your ex-spouse can receive benefits on your record if you have been divorced for at least two continuous years.
If your ex-spouse is eligible for retirement benefits on their own record, we will pay that amount first. If the benefit on your record is higher, they will get an additional amount on your record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher amount.
If your ex-spouse was born before January 2, 1954, and has already reached full retirement age, they can choose to receive only the divorced spouses benefit and delay receiving their own retirement benefit until a later date.
If your ex-spouses birthday is January 2, 1954 or later, the option to take only one benefit at full retirement age no longer exists. If your ex-spouse files for one benefit, they will be effectively filing for all retirement or spousal benefits.
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When To Apply For Social Security
As stated above, you are eligible to apply for Social Security retirement benefits when you are 61 and nine months. You can start collecting benefits as soon as you turn 62.
However, just because you can, does not mean that you should.
The longer you delay starting your benefits, the more your monthly income will be. In fact, the difference in lifetime income between starting at age 62 and waiting until your maximum retirement age can be more than $100,000 and for many people much much more.
While you can start benefits at age 62, the Social Security Administration considers that early. Depending on your birth year, you do not reach what the SSA calls full retirement age until sometime between ages 66 and 67.
- For every month prior to your full retirement age that you begin taking benefits, around 0.55% is deducted from your payout.
- And, for every year that you defer your benefits, you will receive a larger amount when you finally do begin drawing Social Security. The amount of the bonus is dependent, once more, on your birth date. For example, someone born in 1944 has a full retirement age of 66. If they start benefits at age 69, they will receive eight percent more benefits for each year they delay.
Documentation Of Military Service
If you were a part of the military before 1968, the Social Security benefits application will ask for a copy of your military service papers. These could include your certification of discharge or release from active duty. While applying for benefits, you will likely need to send a few documents from above to the SSA. Keep in mind that all of these documents, whether photocopies or original records, will be returned to you.
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Before You Make Your Decision
There are advantages and disadvantages to taking your benefit before your full retirement age. The advantage is that you collect benefits for a longer period of time. The disadvantage is your benefit will be reduced. Each person’s situation is different. It is important to remember:
- If you delay your benefits until after full retirement age, you will be eligible for delayed retirement credits that would increase your monthly benefit.
- That there are other things to consider when making the decision about when to begin receiving your retirement benefits.
Report The Death Of A Social Security Or Medicare Beneficiary
You must report the death of a family member receiving Social Security or Medicare benefits. The Social Security Administration processes death reports for both. Find out how you can report a death and how to cancel benefit payments. In addition to canceling SSA and Medicare benefits, find out what other benefits and accounts you should cancel.
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Whats The Difference Between Disability And Retirement
First up, lets talk about the difference between disability and retirement benefits. Both are administered by the Social Security Administration , and both are programs designed to provide financial assistance to Americans who can no longer work. Both programs also have specific requirements beneficiaries must meet in order to qualify for benefits.
How Your Earning History Affects Your Monthly Benefit
Social Security is calculated based on a few factors, chiefly your life expectancy and your income historyspecifically, your top 35 earning years. The higher your income history, the higher your benefit will be in retirement.
But, just as theres a cap on earnings subject to Social Security tax each year , theres also a maximum monthly Social Security benefit. In 2022, that max was $3,345 if you start drawing at your FRA. See the chart below for a rundown of average benefits and maximum benefits depending on your age when you first claim Social Security.
For illustrative purposes only.
How do your expected benefits stack up against the averages? If you havent done so already, create a free, personalized account on the SSA.gov website. From there, you can see your entire work historyspecifically each years wages used to calculate your Social Security taxes. Youll also see a chart just like the one above, except it will show your benefit at each age. These amounts will be adjusted each time a new COLA is announced, but this can give you an idea how your benefits would look relative to todays world.
If you begin taking Social Security early, youll likely be shortchanging your future self, regardless of your work status. Consider two scenarios:
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Essential Documents Needed To Apply For Social Security Retirement Benefits
Now that you have an idea of what kind of information will be needed for your application, its time to start getting your documents together. Some of these things might seem like common sense, while others you might not think to gather if you werent aware that they were needed. If you dont have access to all of these documents, now is an excellent time to see what is missing and determine the best way to replace it.
Some of the documents you may be asked for include:
- Your Social Security card or a record of the number
- Proof of U.S citizenship or lawful alien status if you were born outside the country
- An original birth certificate or a certified copy if you were born in the United States
- A copy of your U.S. military service papers if you served before 1968
- A copy of your self-employment tax return or W-2 forms for the previous years
- Bank information for making deposits
Those who have already verified their age, lawful alien status, or citizenship for a Social Security or Medicare claim may not need to provide all of this proof again. After the documents have been processed, they will be returned to you unless you request an alternative.
How Do Ssdi And Social Security Retirement Work Together
SSDI pays out your full retirement benefits until you qualify to draw them under the traditional Social Security retirement scheme. Once you reach full retirement age based on the year you were born, the SSA will automatically start your retirement benefits and cease your SSDI payments.
The SSA allows you to file for retirement benefits as early as age 62. You can also wait and receive your full benefit amount when you reach full retirement age. Depending on what year you were born, this may vary from 65 to 67 years old.
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When Should You Apply For Retirement Benefits
Many people who quit work at age 62 apply for disability at the same time they elect for early retirement benefits. This allows the early retirement payments to fill the income gap until your claim for disability is approved. It also provides you with retroactive relief from the difference in amounts.
However, there is no guarantee that your disability benefits claim will ultimately be approved, in which case you will be resigned to collecting the lower early retirement payments for the rest of your life.
If you are severely impaired, however, this might be a good option to consider. Being approved for disability benefits is easier for those age 60 or older, and special consideration is given to those over age 65.
Should I Sign Up For Medical Insurance
With our online application, you can sign up for Medicare Part A and Part B. Because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you can turn it down.
If youre eligible at age 65, your Initial Enrollment Period begins three months before your 65th birthday, includes the month you turn age 65, and ends three months after that birthday.
Note: Important Upcoming Change Rules for 2023 and later: If you accept the automatic enrollment in Medicare Part B or if you sign up during the first three months of your IEP, your coverage will start the month youre first eligible. Beginning January 1, 2023, if you sign up during the month you turn 65 or during the last three months of your IEP, your coverage starts the first day of the month after you sign up.
The following chart shows when your Medicare Part B becomes effective in 2022:
| In 2022, if you sign up during this month of your IEP | Your Part B Medicare coverage starts |
|---|---|
| One to three months before you reach age 65 | The month you turn age 65. |
| The month you reach age 65 | One month after the month you turn age 65. |
| One month after you reach age 65 | Two months after the month of enrollment. |
| Two or three months after you reach age 65 | Three months after the month of enrollment. |
The following chart shows when your Medicare Part B becomes effective in 2023:
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A You Can Continue Working And Start Receiving Your Retirement Benefits
If you start your benefits before your full retirement age, your benefits are reduced a fraction of a percent for each month before your full retirement age.
You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time before your full retirement age. However your benefits will be reduced if you earn more than the yearly earnings limits.
After you reach your full retirement age, we will recalculate your benefit amount to give you credit for any months you did not receive a benefit because of your earnings. We will send you a letter that explains any increase in your benefit amount.
If you delay filing for your benefits until after full retirement age, you will be eligible for delayed retirement credits that would increase your monthly benefit. If you also continue to work, you will be able to receive your full retirement benefits and any increase resulting from your additional earnings when we recalculate your benefits. Once you reach full retirement age, your earnings do not affect your benefit amount.
If you start receiving retirement benefits before age 65, you are automatically enrolled in Original Medicare when you turn 65. If you or your spouse are still working and covered under an employer-provided group health plan, talk to the personnel office before signing up for Medicare Part B. To learn more, read our Medicare publication.