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Social Security Resources

Policies and Procedures

Budget and Finances

The Office of the Chief Actuary deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. They provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms.

Audits and Investigations

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is known as "the investigative arm of Congress". GAO helps improve the performance and accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people.

The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has the following responsibilities:

Read OIG's reports, investigations, news releases, stories, and testimonies. Also visit OIG's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages, as well as its blog called "Beyond the Numbers."

FOIA Requests

The Freedom of Information Act creates procedures whereby members of the public may obtain SSA records.

Information Quality


Frequently Requested Website Information

During our Open Government dialogue, we have received many ideas about information we should add to socialsecurity.gov. In many cases, the information may already be online. We’re pleased to help point you to places on our website where you may find the answers you're looking for.

Additionally, online service enhancement is one of three flagship initiatives in our Open Government Plan. Moving foward, online service enhancements and our committment to continually improve transparency, participation, and collabaration on the Open Government portal will help make frequently requested information easier to find.

Requested Information on Trust Funds:

"The trust fund issue has to be more transparent. If you want to be honest with the public this issue is the most important. How much is in the SSA trust fund."

Where you can find it:

The 2010 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds

Requested Information on Beneficiaries:

“The numbers or percentages of people receiving SS or Medicare that both have and have not paid into the system should be posted.”

Where you can find it:

We are exploring this idea to determine if we can adopt it.  We will report back to you on our progress.

Requested Information on Administrative Expenses:

“I would like to see a statistic for the amount of administrative expense spent in FY09 per beneficiary.”

Where you can find it:

Administrative Expenses

Requested Information on Claim Status:

“I believe that claimants should be able to log into a protected site and check the status of their claim.”

Where you can find it:

How to Check the Status of your Application

Requested Information on FOIA Request Application:

“Facilitate access to SSA information by making available on the OpenSocialSecurity site an electronic FOIA application”

Where you can find it:

Make your FOIA Request Online

Requested Information on the Disability Claims Process:

“I work for Disability Determination Services completing medical portions of SSD and SSI claims. I used to work in private non-profit mental health services, and there is a lot of "mystery" in the claims process from the general public perspective.”

Where you can find it:

We are exploring this idea to determine if we can adopt it.  We will report back to you on our progress.

Requested Information on Optimal Retirement Year Calculator:

“I would like to see SSA have a calculator that would provide options for potential beneficiaries to calculate the best year to start their SS payments.”

Where you can find it:

We are exploring this idea to determine if we can adopt it.  We will report back to you on our progress.

Requested Information on Sending Feedback:

“Besides simply having a space to comment on your open government plan, this site should have a place so that you can easily send concerns and praise about services in general.”

Where you can find it:

The compliments and complaints links continue to be available on our web site.