Social Security: 10127

8/14/2019 Social Security: 10127

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-security-10127 1/24

What Every WomanShould Know



Contacting Social Security

Visit our website

Our website, www.socialsecurity.gov , is a valuableresource or inormation about all o Social Security’sprograms. At our website, you also can:

Apply or certain kinds o benefts;•

Get the address o your local Social Security ofce;•

Request important documents, such as a• SocialSecurity Statement, a replacement Medicare card

or a letter to confrm your beneft amount; andFind copies o our publications.•

Call our 1-800 numberIn addition to using our website, you also can call

us toll-ree at 1-800-772-1213. We can answer specifcquestions rom 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

We can provide inormation by automated phone service24 hours a day. I you are dea or hard o hearing, youmay call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

We treat all calls confdentially. We also want tomake sure you receive accurate and courteous service.That is why we have a second Social Security repre-sentative monitor some telephone calls.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/



What’s inside

What Social Security means to you 5

Your Social Security record and number 6

I you change your name 7

I you are a victim o amily violence 8

Social Security numbers or children 9

What your Social Security taxes pay or 9

Some special employment situations 10

When you retire 12

I you become disabled 14

When you are ready to apply 15

Benefts or your amily 16

I you should die 16

I you have income roma government pension 17

I you have not worked or do nothave enough Social Security credits 18

I you become a widow 19

I you are divorced 19



4

I you have limited income 21

I you are a caregiver 22

Protection o personal inormation 23

More inormation 23



What Social Security means to you

Social Security plays an important role in provid-ing economic security or women. Nearly 60 percent

o the people receiving Social Security benefts arewomen. In the 21st century, more women work, paySocial Security taxes and earn credit toward monthlyretirement income than at any other time in ournation’s history.

Today, women have challenging choices to make.Some may spend their entire adulthood in a career or

job outside the home. Some may work or a ew years,leave the labor orce to raise children and eventuallyreturn to work. And some may choose not to workoutside o the home. Whether they work, have workedor have never worked, it is essential that womenunderstand how Social Security can help them andtheir amilies.

Women tend to care or many people—spouses,children and parents. And although they have madesignifcant strides, women are more likely to earn lessover their lietimes than men. They are less oten cov-ered by private retirement plans and more dependenton Social Security—and or a longer period o timesince, on average, women live about fve years longerthan men.

Social Security oers a basic level o protection toall women covered by this program. When womenwork, they pay taxes into the Social Security system,providing or their own benefts. In addition, theirhusbands’ earnings can give them Social Securitycoverage as well. Women who do not work are otencovered through their husbands’ work and can receive

benefts when they retire, become disabled or die.Over the years, the level o Social Security protec-

tion or women has been strengthened. For example,the amount o benefts or a surviving spouse was

5



raised and benefts or disabled spouses also increased.Economic protection or divorced women improved withthe removal o the requirement that the divorced wiemust be dependent on her husband. Also, the number

o years the couple must be married in order or thedivorced spouse to qualiy or benefts decreased.

Besides understanding the benefts to which theymay be entitled, women also need to be aware o otheraspects o the Social Security program. They need toknow about providing Social Security coverage oranyone they may hire as a household worker or child-

care provider. And they need to know some basics likewhat to do i they change their names.

While Social Security is a vital program, especiallyor women, it was never intended to cover all o theirfnancial needs. To live comortably, everyone needs toplan accordingly. Living within one’s means and sav-ing or the uture are big parts o that plan.

Your Social Security record and number

Each year your employer sends a copy o your W-2(Wage and Tax Statement) to Social Security. We com-pare your name and Social Security number on the W-2with the inormation in our fles. We add the earningsshown on the W-2 to your Social Security record.

It is critical that your name and Social Securitynumber on your Social Security card agree with youremployer’s payroll records and W-2 so that we cancredit your earnings to your record. It is up to you tomake sure that both Social Security’s records and youremployer’s records are correct. I your Social Securitycard is incorrect, contact any Social Security ofce

to make changes. Check your W-2 orm to make sureyour employer’s record is correct and, i it is not, giveyour employer the accurate inormation.

6



I you are a worker age 25 or older and not receivingbenefts, you receive a Social Security Statement everyyear that can be a valuable tool to help you plan asecure fnancial uture. It provides you with a record o

your earnings and gives estimates o what your SocialSecurity benefts would be at dierent retirement ages.It also gives an estimate o the disability benefts youcould receive i you become severely disabled beoreretirement, as well as estimates o the survivors ben-efts Social Security would provide your spouse andeligible amily members when you die. Review this

Statement to make sure that all o your earnings areincluded. I your Statement does not include all o yourearnings, let your employer and your Social Securityofce know about any incorrect inormation.

I you change your name

Whenever you change your name, be sure to report

the change to Social Security. Otherwise, your earn-ings may not be recorded properly and you may notreceive all the Social Security you are due. Not chang-ing your name with Social Security also can delayyour income tax reund.

To report a name change, fll out an Application or a Social Security Card (Form SS-5). You can get

the orm by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov on theInternet or any Social Security ofce or by callingSocial Security’s toll-ree number, 1-800-772-1213.

You must show us a recently issued documentas proo o your legal name change. DocumentsSocial Security may accept to prove a legal namechange include:

Marriage document;•

Divorce decree specifcally stating you may•

change your name;

Certifcate o Naturalization showing a new name; or•

7



Court order or a name change.•

I the documents you provide or a legal name changedo not give enough inormation to identiy you, thenyou also must show two identity documents including:

One document in your old name; and•

A second document with your new legal name.•

In addition to your name, these documents must alsocontain identiying inormation or a recent photograph.

I you are a U.S. citizen born outside the UnitedStates and our records do not show you are a citizen,

you will need to provide proo o your U.S. citizenship.I you are not a U.S. citizen, Social Security will askto see your current immigration documents.

The new card will have the same number as yourprevious card, but will show your new name.

I you are a victim o amily violence

People in all walks o lie can be victims o amilyviolence or harassment, abuse or lie-endangering situ-ations. I you are a victim o amily violence, SocialSecurity may be able to help you.

Public awareness campaigns stress how importantit is or victims to develop saety plans that includegathering personal papers and choosing a sae place

to go. Sometimes the best way to evade an abuserand reduce the risk o urther violence may be torelocate and establish a new identity. Following thesechanges, it also may be helpul to get a new SocialSecurity number.

Although Social Security does not routinely assignnew numbers, we will do so when evidence shows you

are being harassed or abused or your lie is endangered.Applying or a new number is a big decision. It may

impact your ability to interact with ederal and stateagencies, employers and others. This is because yourfnancial, medical, employment and other records

8



will be under your ormer Social Security numberand name (i you change your name). I you expect tochange your name, we recommend you do so beoreapplying or a new number.

For more inormation, ask or New Numbers ForDomestic Violence Victims (Publication No. 05-10093).

Social Security numbers or children

It is a good idea to apply or a Social Security num-ber or your baby when you apply or your baby’s birth

certifcate. Social Security will mail the card to you.Or, you can wait and apply at any Social Securityofce. I you wait, you must provide evidence o yourchild’s age, identity and U.S. citizenship status, as wellas proo o your identity. We must veriy your child’sbirth record, which can add up to 12 weeks to thetime it takes to issue a card. To veriy a birth record,Social Security will contact the ofce that issued it.

What your Social Security taxes pay or

When you work and pay Social Security taxes, youearn Social Security credits that can count towardyour retirement benefts and can qualiy you and youramily or disability and survivors insurance cover-

age. In addition, when you pay Medicare taxes, you areearning Medicare protection that can be available toyou when you reach age 65 or i you become disabled.

Social Security’s beneft package includes:

Retirement benefts that are paid each month to•

retired workers as early as age 62.

Disability benefts that are paid each month to•

workers o all ages who have a severe disability.In some cases, a young worker may qualiy or adisability beneft with as little as one and one-halyears o work.

9

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10093.html





Family benefts that are paid each month to the•

spouse and children o retired or disabled workers.

Survivors benefts that are paid each month to the•

widow or widower and children o a deceased worker.

In some cases, the amily o a young deceased workercan receive these benefts even i the worker had asew as one and one-hal years o work.

Medicare, which helps with hospital bills and pro-•

vides limited coverage or skilled nursing acilitystays and hospice care. It can also cover doctors’services and prescription drugs.

Some special employment situations

Sel-employedMost people who pay into Social Security work or

an employer. Their employer deducts Social Securitytaxes rom their paycheck, matches that contributionand sends taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)and reports wages to Social Security. But sel-em-ployed people must report their earnings and pay theirtaxes directly to IRS.

You are sel-employed i you operate a trade, busi-ness or proession, either by yoursel or as a partner.You report your earnings or Social Security when you

fle your ederal income tax return. I your net earn-ings are $400 or more in a year, you must report yourearnings on Schedule SE, in addition to the other taxorms you must fle.

I you and your husband operate a business together,you are entitled to receive Social Security credits asa partner. Be sure to fle a separate Schedule SE, even

though you and your husband fle a joint income taxreturn. I you do not fle a separate sel-employmentreport, you will not get Social Security benefts romyour own work, because all o the earnings will bereported on your husband’s record.

10



Household workersSome household workers are covered under Social

Security depending on how much they earn. Householdworkers include babysitters, maids, cooks, laundryworkers, butlers, gardeners, chaueurs and people whodo housecleaning or repair work. Household workerswho are under age 18 during any part o the year andwho do not do household work as a principal job arenot covered under Social Security.

I you hire household workers, make sure you accu-rately record their Social Security numbers, withhold

Social Security taxes rom their wages, pay an equalamount and send the combined taxes to IRS usingyour own ederal income tax return.

I you are a household worker, make sure youremployer is paying Social Security taxes or you.You should receive a orm W-2 rom your employerby January 31 o the year ollowing the year you did

the work. For more inormation, ask or HouseholdWorkers (Publication No. 05-10021).

Military serviceI you have served in the military on active duty or

on inactive duty or training since 1957, you paid intoSocial Security. Inactive duty service in the Armed

Forces Reserves and National Guard weekend drillshave been covered by Social Security since 1988. Iyou served in the military beore 1957, you did not payinto Social Security directly, but your records may becredited with special earnings or Social Security pur-poses that count toward any benefts you may receive.

When you apply or Social Security, the credits you

receive or military service are added to your civilianwork credits. The number o credits you have deter-mines whether you qualiy or Social Security.

11








You may be eligible or both Social Security beneftsand military retirement. Generally, there is no reduc-tion o Social Security benefts because o your militaryretirement. You will get your ull Social Security

benefts based on your earnings.Social Security survivors benefts may aect bene-

fts payable under the optional Department o DeenseSurvivors Beneft Plan. You should check with theDepartment o Deense or your military retirementadvisor or more inormation.

When you retireMost people need 10 years o work (40 credits) to

qualiy or benefts. Your beneft amount is basedon your earnings averaged over most o your work-ing career. Higher lietime earnings result in higherbenefts. I you have some years o no earnings or lowearnings, your beneft amount may be lower than i

you had worked steadily.Your beneft also is aected by your age at the time

you start receiving benefts. I you start your retire-ment benefts at age 62 (the earliest possible retire-ment age), your beneft will be lower than i you waituntil your ull retirement age.

I you choose to work while receiving SocialSecurity benefts beore you reach ull retirementage, your benefts will be reduced by $1 or every $2you earn over the annual limit (which increases eachyear). In the year you reach ull retirement age, yourbenefts will be reduced by $1 or every $3 you earnover the limit in the months beore your birthday.But once you reach ull retirement age, you will get

your ull retirement benefts no matter how much youwork and earn.

12



Age to receive ull Social Security beneits

Year of birth Full retirement age

1937 or earlier 65

1938 65 and 2 months





1943-1954 66






1960 and later 67

As you continue working, we will review your earn-ings each year and recalculate your beneft amount.Usually, your additional earnings will increase your

beneft amount. I the amount increases, we willnotiy you and readjust your beneft payments.

I you are eligible or benefts on more than onework record, such as your own and your husband’s,you generally receive the higher beneft amount. Whenyou apply or benefts, the Social Security representa-tive can determine which record will give you thehigher beneft.

I you are eligible or a spouse’s or ex-spouse’sbeneft and your own retirement beneft, you shouldfle or both. (The same rule applies to your husbandor ex-husband.) I your husband works past ull retire-

13



ment age and does not collect Social Security benefts,you can still retire and get benefts based on yourown work. Then, when he does retire, you can receivebenefts on his record i they would be higher.

I your husband or ex-husband is deceased, you canchoose which beneft to apply or now or choose topostpone fling or either beneft until you reach ullretirement age.

For more inormation on retirement, visitwww.socialsecurity.gov/planners or ask orRetirement Benefts (Publication No. 05-10035).

You will have Medicare coverage in addition toSocial Security benefts i you are eligible or beneftseither on your own record or your husband’s record.You will have Medicare hospital insurance (Part A) pro-tection at age 65 and you will have the opportunity tobuy Medicare medical insurance (Part B) or a monthlypremium. You can also enroll in a Medicare Advantage

Plan (Part C) and a Medicare prescription drug plan(Part D). I you are not eligible or benefts and you donot have enough credits, you can pay a monthly pre-mium to buy Medicare coverage. For more inormation,ask or Medicare (Publication No. 05-10043).

I you become disabled

I you become disabled, you may be able to getdisability benefts i you have worked long enough andrecently enough under Social Security. The amount owork you need increases with age. You need credit orone and one-hal years o work out o the past threeyears i you become disabled beore age 24 and up tofve out o the last 10 years i you become disabled at

age 31 or older. Some women lose their disability cov-erage when they move in and out o the workorce anddo not meet the recent work requirement. I you need

14

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners







http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners



help fguring out how much work you need to main-tain your disability coverage, call your local SocialSecurity ofce.

You will be considered disabled i you cannot do

work that you did beore and we decide that youcannot adjust to other work because o your medicalcondition(s). Your disability also must last, or beexpected to last, or at least a year or to result indeath. Ater you receive disability payments or 24consecutive months, you also will have Medicareprotection.

Military service members can receive expeditedprocessing o disability claims rom Social Security.Benefts available through Social Security are dierentthan those rom the Department o Veterans Aairsand require a separate application. The expeditedprocess is used or military service members whobecame disabled while on active military service

on or ater October 1, 2001, regardless o where thedisability occurs.

For more inormation on disability programs,visit www.socialsecurity.gov/disability or ask orDisability Benefts (Publication No. 05-10029).

For more inormation on disability benefts orwounded warriors, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/

woundedwarriors or ask or Disability Benefts ForWounded Warriors (Publication No. 05-10030).

When you are ready to apply

Online servicesYou can apply or Social Security retirement,

disability or spouse’s benefts, or any combinationo those benefts online. You will complete and signthe application electronically. We will let you knowwhich benefts you are entitled to ater we receiveyour application.

15

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability









Direct depositSocial Security benefts are generally paid by direct

deposit. Direct deposit is a simple, sae and secure wayto receive your benefts. Be sure to have your checkbookor account statement with you when you apply. We willneed that inormation to make sure your monthly bene-ft is correctly deposited into your account.

Benefts or your amily

When you start receiving Social Security retirement

or disability benefts, other amily members also maybe eligible or payments. For example, benefts can bepaid to your husband:

I he is age 62 or older; or•

At any age i he is caring or your child (the child•

must be younger than 16 or disabled and receivingSocial Security benefts on your record).

Benefts also can be paid to your unmarriedchildren i they are:

Younger than 18;•

Between 18 and 19 years old, but in elementary•

or secondary school as ull-time students; or

Age 18 or older and severely disabled (the•

disability must have started beore age 22).

I you should die

I you should die, your amily may be eligible orbenefts based on your work.

Family members who can collect benefts include awidower who is:

60 or older; or•

50 or older and disabled; or•

16



Any age i he is caring or your child who is•

younger than 16 or disabled and receivingSocial Security benefts.

Your children can receive benefts, too, i they are

unmarried and:Younger than 18 years old; or•

Between 18 and 19 years old, but in an elementary•

or secondary school as ull-time students; or

Age 18 or older and severely disabled (the disability•

must have started beore age 22).

Additionally, your parents can receive benefts onyour earnings i they were dependent on you or atleast hal o their support.

I you had enough credits, a one-time payment o$255 also will be made ater your death. This beneftmay be paid to your spouse or minor children i theymeet certain requirements.

For more inormation, ask or Survivors Benefts (Publication No. 05-10084).

I you have income roma government pension

I you worked at a job where you did not pay SocialSecurity taxes, two laws may aect your SocialSecurity benefts.

The Windall Elimination Provision aects the way•

your Social Security retirement or disability ben-efts are fgured. It applies to you only i you receiveSocial Security benefts based on your own earningsand you are receiving the other pension.

Government Pension Oset aects only the Social•

Security benefts you could receive based on yourhusband’s earnings.

17








For more inormation about the WindallElimination Provision, the Government PensionOset and WEP and GPO online calculators visitwww.socialsecurity.gov/gpo-wep. Beneft calculators

are also available at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/ calculators.htm. You also can ask or WindallElimination Provision (Publication No. 05-10045)and Government Pension Oset (Publication No.05-10007).

I you have not worked or do not

have enough Social Security creditsI you have not worked or do not have enough Social

Security credits and you are married, you may be eli-gible or Social Security benefts as a result o yourhusband’s work. You and your children (younger thanage 18 or younger than 19 i still in secondary schoolor disabled beore age 22) have Social Security protec-tion through your husband’s work. When he retires, ori he becomes disabled, you could be eligible or ben-efts as early as age 62. I you are caring or your childwho is younger than 16 or disabled and entitled tobenefts, you could receive benefts at any age.

Your beneft amount will be permanently reducedi you choose to begin receiving wie’s benefts beore

you reach ull retirement age. I you wait until youreach ull retirement age, you will receive the maxi-mum beneft, which is up to hal o the amount yourhusband is entitled to receive at his ull retirement age.

You and your husband will be eligible or Medicareat age 65.

18

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/gpo-wep

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/calculators.htm




http://www.socialsecurity.gov/gpo-wep



I you become a widow

I your husband dies, you can get widow’s beneftsi you are age 60 or older. I you are disabled, you can

get widow’s benefts as early as age 50. Your beneftamount will depend on your age and on the amountyour deceased husband was entitled to when he died.

I you are a widow with children, you may beeligible or a widow’s beneft at any age when you arecaring or a child who is younger than 16 or disabledand entitled to benefts. As a widow, you also may be

eligible or Medicare at age 65.I you remarry beore you reach age 60 (or age 50 idisabled), you cannot receive widow’s benefts as longas that marriage remains in eect. I you remarryater you reach age 60 (or age 50 i disabled), you willcontinue to receive benefts on your deceased hus-band’s Social Security record. However, i your current

husband is a Social Security benefciary, you shouldapply or a wie’s beneft on his record i it would belarger than your widow’s beneft. You cannot get both.

I you are also entitled to retirement benefts basedon your own work, you have some other options. Aska Social Security representative to explain the options,so you can decide which would be best or you.

I you are divorced

I you have never asked Social Security aboutreceiving benefts based on your ex-husband’s work,you should do so. Many women get a higher beneftbased on their ex-husband’s work, especially i he isdeceased. When you apply, you will need to give his

Social Security number. I you do not know his num-ber, you will need to provide his date and place obirth and his parents’ names.

19



The ollowing requirements also apply to yourdivorced husband i his eligibility or benefts is basedon your work.

I your ex-husband is living—I you are divorced, you can receive benefts based

on your ex-husband’s work i—

Your marriage lasted 10 years or longer;•

You are unmarried;•

You are age 62 or older;•

The beneft you are entitled to receive based on•

your own work is less than the benefts you wouldreceive on your husband’s work; and

Your ex-husband is entitled to Social Security•

retirement or disability benefts.

I he has not applied or benefts, but can qualiy orthem and is age 62 or older, you can receive benefts

on his work i you have been divorced rom him or atleast two years.

I your ex-husband is deceased,you can receive benefts—

At age 60, or age 50 i you are disabled, i your•

marriage lasted at least 10 years, and you are notentitled to a higher beneft on your own record.

At any age i you are caring or his child who also•

is your natural or legally adopted child and youngerthan 16 or disabled and entitled to benefts. Yourbenefts will continue until the child reaches age16 or is no longer disabled. You can receive this ben-eft even though you were not married to yourex-husband or 10 years.

20



I you have limited income

I you are age 65 or older, or blind or disabled, andyour income and the value o your resources is lim-

ited, you may be eligible to receive monthly paymentsunder the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pro-gram. Generally, to receive SSI you must be living inthe United States or the Northern Mariana Islandsand be a U.S. citizen. Certain noncitizens also maybe eligible to receive SSI. To learn more about SSI,ask or Supplemental Security Income (PublicationNo. 05-11000).

I you have a limited income and ew resources,your state can decide whether you qualiy or helpwith Medicare expenses under the Medicare SavingsPrograms. I you think you may qualiy, contact yourstate or local medical assistance (Medicaid) agency,social services program or welare ofce. Also, moreinormation is available rom the Centers orMedicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Ask or I you

need help paying Medicare costs, there are programsthat can help you save money (Publication No. CMS10126) by calling the Medicare toll-ree number,1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). I you are deaor hard o hearing, you may call TTY 1-877-486-2048.

You may also be able to get extra help paying or theMedicare prescription drug program. Anyone who hasMedicare can get Medicare prescription drug coverage.Extra help is available or some people with limitedincome and resources and will pay or all or most othe monthly premiums, annual deductibles and pre-scription co-payments related to their plan. Manypeople with limited income and resources qualiy or

these big savings and do not even know it. To fnd outi you are eligible, Social Security will need to knowyour income and the value o your savings, invest-

21








ments and real estate (other than your home). I youare married and living with your spouse, we will needthis inormation or both o you.

Even i you do not qualiy or the extra help, you

may be able to help someone you care about apply orextra help with their Medicare prescription drug costs.For more inormation, ask or Getting Help WithMedicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, Income AndResource Limits (Publication No. 05-10115).

I you are a caregiver

I you are caring or an elderly or disabledrelative who needs help managing their monthlySocial Security or SSI benefts, you can apply to berepresentative payee. Social Security will conduct acareul investigation to determine i you meet therequirements.

As a representative payee, we will pay you the per-son’s benefts to use on his or her behal. Thereore,you must know what your relative’s needs are so youcan decide how benefts can best be used or his or herpersonal care and well-being. First, you must makesure that ood and shelter are provided. Then, you canuse the money to pay medical and dental bills notcovered by health insurance and or personal needs

and recreation.For more inormation about the representative payee

program, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/payee. Youalso can ask or A Guide For Representative Payees (Publication No. 05-10076). I you are caring or a childwith disabilities, ask or Benefts For Children WithDisabilities (Publication No. 05-10026).

22

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payee




http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10026







http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payee



23

Protection o personal inormation

Social Security keeps personal and confdentialinormation—names, Social Security numbers,

earnings records, ages and benefciary addresses—ormillions o people. Generally, we will discuss yourinormation only with you. When you call or visit us,we will ask you several questions to help us veriyyour identity. I you want someone else to help withyour Social Security business, we need your permis-sion to discuss your inormation with that person.

You should treat your Social Security numberas confdential inormation and avoid giving it outunnecessarily. You should keep your Social Securitycard in a sae place with your other important papers.Do not carry it with you unless you need to show itto an employer or service provider.

More inormation

For more inormation specifcally geared towardwomen, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/women.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/women

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/women



Social Security AdministrationSSA Publication No. 05-10127ICN 480067Unit o Issue - HD (one hundred)October 2007 (Destroy prior editions)

Social Security: 10127

Documents

Transcript of Social Security: 10127