by Essie L. Landry, Public Affairs Specialist Social Security Administration Sierra West Area
Social Security definitely know a thing or two about helping children. Often overlooked in the paperwork that prospective parents fill out in preparation for a child’s birth is an application for a Social Security number and card. Typically, the hospital will ask if you want to apply for a Social Security number for your newborn as part of the birth registration process. This is the easiest and fastest way to apply. The Social Security card typically arrives about a week to ten days after that little bundle of joy! You can learn about Social Security numbers for children by reading our publication, Social Security Numbers for Children, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
At www.socialsecurity.gov, we have a variety of services available to you, all from the comfort of your home. You can apply for disability benefits or appeal a disability decision. You can also file for retirement benefits, spousal benefits, or Medicare-only benefits while enjoying leftover pumpkin pie. Our secure, easy-to-navigate website is sure to add plenty of comfort and joy to the festivities.
For the first site of Social Security, we give to you: our home page, www.socialsecurity.gov. It’s the place to go for all things Social Security. Everything you could want — from online services and benefit screening tools to publications and frequently asked questions — you can find all these and more on this site. On the twelfth site of Social Security (and we saved the best for last): open your own personal my Social Security account, which will enable you to verify your earnings, get future benefit estimates, obtain benefit verification letters, update your Social Security information, and more at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. You have to read to column to see what you can find on sites two to eleven.
With the New Year Comes New Changes: Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will see a slight increase in 2017.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $127,200 from $118,500. Of the estimated 173 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2017, about 12 million will pay more because of the increase in the taxable maximum.
Share the gift of security give your loved ones some peace of mind by introducing them to Social Security’s many programs. www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
