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:

• Visiting a local Social Security office
• Calling the Social Security Administration toll-free at 1-800-772-1213*
• Visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html to print off the application form

*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:

• Social Security number (social security numbers and replacement cards can be requested through the social Security Administration Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber)
• Birth certificate
  (Birth certificates can be requested through the SSA Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov/vitalstats.html)

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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