15 things you can do online – The Motley Fool

Social security is our nation's most vital social resource. Every month, more than 63 million performance controls are sent out and lifted over a third of the recipients out of poverty as a result. Among retired employees aged 62 and over, 62% are on their monthly payout to make up at least half of their earnings. In other words, it is quite important for the economic well-being of tens of millions of Americans.

But there is also a program that many do not fully understand the inside and the outputs of.

For example, over time the Social Security Administration (SSA) has moved its resources online for current and future recipients. Many decades ago, mostly questions or actions had a conversation or a personal visit with an SSA employee. This is not to say that SSA employees are not ready to help people over the phone or in person if they have questions or need help. But you will probably be surprised at how much you can do online with a "My Social Security" account or through the privacy website.

With this in mind, there are 1[ads1]5 things you may not have known you can do online.

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1. Requesting a Social Security Liability

Losing important documents is never fun, especially if it is your social security number. The good news is that SSA allows you to request a replacement card online in most states. As long as you are 18 years or older, do not request a name change or any other change to your card and have a valid driver or issued license, most states (a total of 32) will allow this action to be completed online.

exceptions? In Delaware and Wisconsin, you must have a driver's license for this service (licensed licenses do not work) and in the following 16 states, this service is not yet available: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia.

2. Change your address and / or phone number

With "My Social Security" account you can change your personal information, including your address and phone number, in the "My Profile" section. Furthermore, you decide when the address change will take effect so that this can be done well before a move.

According to the SSA, people who receive a social security scheme and people who are included in Medicare may use their "My Social Security" account to change their address and other contact information. This service is not available to persons who receive a security surcharge (SSI) or who do not live in the United States.

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3. Request and Print a Verification Letter

You can also go online to request a verification letter. Sometimes called "proof of income letter", "benefits letter" or "budget letter", it provides evidence that you are, or not, receiving income from Social Security. This letter may be requested online and printed as proof of income upon application for a loan or mortgage, or when applying for housing or other government or local benefit.

Your "My Social Security" account will also allow you to choose what information you want left in or out of the final printed copy.

4. Review Your Social Security Statement

Simply the most compelling reason to create a "my Social Security" account (and the reason I did it) is to keep tabs in the Security Statement. Formerly posted every five years for employees aged 25 to 60, your online account gives you access to your estimated monthly payout at full retirement age when you choose.

This is just an estimate and it will prove more accurate when you get closer to retirement age. But just knowing where you are from a payout perspective is an important piece of the puzzle when you plan to retire.

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5. Check your earnings log

Like the previous point, you can also use your statement to verify your revenue history online. Although the SSA is a very efficient agency, with less than 0.7% of all revenue accrued by the program that covers the operating costs, it can be wrong. If you capture a revenue reporting error before you claim your benefit, it's much easier to fix than to detect an error after that fact.

6. Use the SSA's Pension, Disability or Survival Planner

Another relatively indispensable resource that you find on Social Security's primary website is the retirement planner site for retirees, disabled, and survivors. Each of the separate planners describes how you or your family will qualify for benefits, discusses some of the benefits you may not have known that you were eligible for, and details how and when to apply (at least for the retirement plan planner).

7. Search for Social Security Retirement or Spousal Benefits

Sure, it can be the biggest decision you will make as a senior – deciding when to start taking benefits – but it doesn't have to be complicated. While you can talk to an SSA employee by phone or make a personal appointment, you can also apply for retirement or spousal benefits online through Social Security's primary website. Best of all, the application can often be completed in as little as 15 minutes.

To apply, you must be at least 61 years old and eight months old and do not currently receive benefits based on your income statement. Also, your benefits cannot start more than four months into the future. Therefore, the application age is at least 61 years and eight months since the first age limit for pensioners is 62 years. In addition, there are some "social security bases" that SSA suggests you know before you search the web.

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8. Search for Social Security Difficulties or Supplemental Security Income Benefits

Similar to the above, SSA also allows people to apply for sickness insurance (DI) and surcharge for security income (should you also qualify for SSI at the time of filing) on ​​the web.

To apply online for DI benefits, you must be at least 18 years of age, not currently receiving benefits based on your income statement, and you may not work due to a medical condition that is expected to last for at least one year or result in in death. An additional addition is that you cannot apply online if you have been denied disability benefit within the last 60 days.

9. Start or change direct deposit of your benefit

It's your money, so get it faster! Set up direct deposits for your monthly performance check on "My Social Security" account under the "My Profile" tab. Individuals who currently receive social security benefits may update direct payment information at any time, and determine when any changes will take effect.

As with other changes in the My Profile tab, this service is not open to people who receive SSI or who have an address outside the United States.

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10. Report salary if you currently receive DI or SSI

Another useful feature of "my Social Security" account is that it allows income-eligible and additional-paid income recipients to report their salaries online. This service is available to people who directly receive these benefits, as well as to their representatives, who may include parents or husbands.

A Quick Note: This is not a service available to beneficiaries who receive a retired employee benefit.

11. Check the status of an application or complaint

If you are an impatient person like yours, you can also see the status of an application for benefits or an appeal by a denied application. Online users will be able to see:

• When SSA received its application or complaint.
• Date and time a hearing was scheduled.
• Requirements and complaint site, one must be planned.
• If a decision on their application or complaint has been made.

12. Print SSA-1099

One of the most common requests the SSA receives from Social Security recipients is for their SSA-1099 form, showing benefits received in the previous year. This form is often required before utility recipients can complete their tax return. The good news is that the recipients can go online and print 1099 directly from the source, which is especially useful if you are still making a paper filing as opposed to an electronic filing.

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13. Get a replacement for SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for tax purposes

If, unfortunately, you have lost or misplaced the SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, you can get an immediate replacement with your "My Social Security" account. An SSA-1042S would be given to non-citizens living outside the United States who received social security benefits or recipients who received, then repaid benefits in the previous year. Once you are signed in to your account, select the "Replacement Documents" tab to get your lost or misplaced tax forms replaced.

14. Get a replacement for the Medicare card

Since the Social Security Administration also monitors Medicare, the nation's most important medical care program for retirees, you can apply for a replacement for the Medicare card through your "My Social Security" account. Whether lost, stolen or destroyed, you can access the "Print Documents" tab in the "My Social Security" account and select "Send My Replace Medicare Cards." You should receive your new card in the mail in 30 days, according to SSA.

15. Apply for Medicare and Extra Help

Last, but not least, you can also use Social Security's primary website to apply for Medicare benefits, as well as the add-on program, which can help reduce Medicare's prescription drug plan costs. The additional utility is estimated to be around $ 4,900 a year, per SSA. To qualify, you must have limited income and resources and must receive Medicare.

As you can see, you can do much more online with Social Security (and Medicare) than you probably realized.