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Social
Security
Social Security Q & A
Source: Social Security Administration
 General
Questions About Social Security
Social
Security and Eligibility
Social
Security Application Process
Social
Security and Immigration
General
Questions About Social Security
What is Social Security?
Social Security is a benefit paid monthly to people who have paid Social
Security taxes and have worked for at least 10 years.
If your clients are full retirement age, they may
be able to receive full benefits, however, they also may begin receiving reduced
benefits as early as age 62. To find your client's retirement age visit the
Social Security Administration Web site at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retirechartred.htm
Where can I get more information
about Social Security?
For more information on Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.
To locate a local Social Security office, visit
http://s00dace.socialsecurity.gov/pro/fol/fol-home.html.
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Social
Security and Eligibility
Who is eligible for Social Security?
To be eligible for full
Social Security benefits, your clients must:
- Have reached full retirement
age (65 and two months in 2003)
- Have worked and paid taxes into Social
Security
- Have worked at least 10 years
How long does a person need to work to become eligible for Social Security?
Anyone born in 1929 or later needs 40 Social Security credits
to be eligible for retirement benefits. You can earn up to four credits
per year, so you will need at least 10 years to become eligible for retirement
benefits.
During your working years, earnings covered by Social Security are posted
to your Social Security record, and you earn credits based on those earnings.
Your clients can apply for retirement
benefits online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits.
What are Social Security credits and how are they earned?
Credits are what the Social Security Administration uses
to determine whether a person has the minimum amount of covered work
to qualify for each type of Social Security benefit.
Each year, the amount of earnings needed for a
credit rises as average earnings levels rise.
In 2003, you receive one credit for each $890
of earnings, up to the maximum of four credits
per year. For 2002, you received one credit for
each $870 of earnings.
Does Social Security pay benefits to prisoners?
Social Security pays benefits under both the Social Security
and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Both of these programs
prohibit payments to most prisoners.
Social Security benefits are suspended if an otherwise eligible person
is confined in a jail, prison, or other penal institution for more than
30 continuous days due to conviction of a crime. Social Security does
not pay benefits to someone who, by court order, is confined in an institution
at public expense in connection with a criminal case if the court finds
that the person is: guilty, but insane; not guilty of such an offense
by reason of insanity or similar factors (such as a mental disease);
or incompetent to stand trial for such an alleged offense.
Also, Social Security does not pay benefits to someone who, immediately
upon completion of a prison sentence for conviction of a criminal offense
(an element of which is sexual activity), is confined by court order
in an institution at public expense. The confinement must be based on
a court finding that the individual is a sexually dangerous person or
sexual predator (or a similar finding).
However, if a person is not confined in prison or other similar place,
benefits may be paid to an eligible individual.
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Social
Security Application Process
How can my client get a Social Security number or a
replacement card?
Your client can apply for a Social Security number by:
*Your client must mail or take the needed documents to
a Social Security office.
To get a Social Security number or a replacement card,
your client will need to:
- Complete an application for a Social Security
Card (Form SS-5)
- Show documents that prove his/her age, identity,
U.S. citizenship, or lawful alien status
What is the best way to submit applications for Social Security? The Internet,
U.S. mail or fax? Where can the applications be accessed?
Your client can visit www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices/index.html to determine which enrollment services are available online. Otherwise,
applications can be submitted in person at the local Social Security
office.
If a client does not have the appropriate documents needed to apply, how can
he/she obtain these documents?
Your client may need to provide the following documentation
when he/she applies for Social Security:
How long does it take for an application to be approved?
Normally, Social Security cards are mailed within two to
four weeks after the application is received. In the meantime, a receipt
may be issued, to prove that the application is in process. If the local
office does not issue a receipt, then a copy of the application should
be made. If applying for retirement benefits, Social Security recommends
that applicants apply up to three months before they want benefits to
begin.
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Social
Security and Immigration
If my clients are immigrants, are they still eligible
to enroll in Social Security?
Your client must be either a legal alien or a citizen of
the U.S. to receive a Social Security card and will need to bring the
necessary documents when applying, which may include:
- Birth certificate
- Driver's license
- Passport/Visa
- Work papers and authorizations
If your client has a sponsor, then he/she will need to
bring a sponsor letter as well. Any documents that help identify who
your client is, such as military records, a school identification card,
or an employer's ID, will also be helpful.
If your client has paperwork that shows legal alien status in the United
States, such as Forms I-551, I-94, I-688B, or I-766, he/she must bring
them to the enrollment appointment.
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