Most think that the Social Security Administration is good for only helping seniors weather the costs of retirement. While that’s certainly true, it’s not all it does. Money Talks News’ recent article entitled “8 Services You Didn’t Know Social Security Offers” lists several services you may not have realized the SSA provides.
- Benefits for non-retirees. First and foremost, the SSA provides retirement benefits to people of a certain age. However, it also provides benefits to many others — widows, parents, children, the disabled and the blind.
- Assistance with Medicare drug costs. Medicare, the federal health insurance program for seniors, is technically administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, Social Security helps keep things simple by handling enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B, and it handles applications for “Extra Help,” a program that lowers the cost of Medicare Part D for eligible seniors by about $5,000 per year.
- Replacement Medicare cards. If you lose your Social Security card, you can go to the SSA to request a replacement, or you can also request a replacement Medicare card from the SSA online.
- Proof of income. In some situations, such as when applying for government assistance, an apartment, a mortgage, or some other loan, you might be required to provide proof of income. A Social Security Benefit Verification Letter may help, and you don’t need to be receiving benefits to get one. These letters can also be used as proof that you don’t receive benefits or haven’t in the past.
- Baby name ideas. The SSA has a wealth of information about the names of Americans. If you’re curious about the most popular baby names in the country, the SSA has information going all the way back to 1880.
- Calculators for some common questions. The SSA has several calculators to help with questions about retirement.
- What did I earn when I was 30? The SSA can tell you exactly how much you earned in any given year in your online “earnings record”.
- Representative payees. Sometimes individuals become unable to manage the money they’re receiving from Social Security or Supplemental Security Income. If so, the SSA can appoint what are called representative payees to manage money on their behalf.
Reference: Money Talks News (Nov. 16, 2021) “8 Services You Didn’t Know Social Security Offers”
Suggested Key Terms: Elder Law Attorney, Medicare, Social Security
