In December, Social Security will launch a new service for my Social Security account holders where the public can check on the status of an application for benefits or an appeal filed with us.
The service will provide detailed information about retirement, disability, survivors, Medicare, and Supplemental Security Income claims and appeals filed either online at socialsecurity.gov or with a Social Security employee. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
The holiday season is upon us, bringing with it family gatherings and familiar traditions. As you bustle about from place to place, sharing turkey dinners and catching up with loved ones, there’s one errand you can avoid — a visit to the Social Security office. Why take time out of your busy holiday schedule to visit an office when you can conduct most of your business online? Continue reading
Social Security is always looking for ways to improve how we communicate with you. It’s been a year-and-a-half since we joined the blogosphere, and we couldn’t be happier! This blog is exactly what we envisioned, an honest conversation with you about our programs, the topics that matter to you, and how our agency can better serve you. Continue reading
Having a secure retirement is an important pillar of strength for the middle class in America. Yet, it is unavailable to too many workers in our country. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re acutely aware of the particular challenges faced by middle class Latinos in the workforce. Not only do Latinos face wage disparities, they’re also less likely to have access to retirement savings plans. Research shows that only about a third of Latino workers have access to a retirement plan through their employer, compared to more than half of African-American and white workers. Continue reading
Christopher Columbus might be one of the most famous explorers in America. He’s credited with discovering the New World, though Native Americans were here long before the Italian sailor.
Centuries later, there are new horizons to explore and you can do it from the comfort of your home or office. With Social Security, you can discover a new world of information and services at www.socialsecurity.gov. Continue reading
Over half a million people who live outside the United States receive some kind of Social Security benefit, including retired and disabled workers, as well as spouses, widows, widowers, and children. Continue reading
Social Security is here to secure today and tomorrow. We’re the only federal agency that touches every aspect of your life from birth through retirement to death and beyond, helping to care for your surviving family. Part of this commitment is our active participation and presence in our communities. Continue reading
This past winter, Americans of all generations awakened to the newest film in the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Many readers probably remember seeing the first Star Wars film in theaters in 1977. The advanced technology used by the Jedi and Sith in a galaxy far, far away seemed light years away.
While we still don’t have interstellar travel, personal robots, or holographic communication, we now use technology like the Internet and smart phones that would have seemed straight out of science fiction in 1977. Continue reading
The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its 76th annual report to Congress on the financial status of the Social Security trust funds. As a trustee of Social Security funds, I work with the other trustees to ensure the public is informed about the status of Social Security’s finances for the short term and over the next 75 years.
Workers earn their Social Security benefits by contributing through deductions from their paychecks. The Social Security trust funds include the Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) fund, which pays benefits to retired workers and their families and to the families of deceased workers; and the Disability Insurance (DI) fund, which pays benefits to disabled workers and their families. Continue reading
