Social Security: A Simple Concept

What You Need To Know About Social Security While You Are Working

What You Need To Know About Benefits

Benefits For Your Family

When You Are Ready To Apply For Benefits

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program

Right To Appeal

Medicare

What You Need To Know About Social Security While You Are Working.

Your Social Security number

Your link with Social Security is your Social Security number. You will need it to get a job and to pay taxes. The SSA use your Social Security number to track your earnings while you are working and to track your benefits after you are getting Social Security.

Do not carry your Social Security card unless you need to show it to your employer. You should be careful about giving someone your Social Security number. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes today. Most of the time identity thieves use your Social Security number and your good credit to apply for more credit in your name. Then they use the credit cards to buy things for themselves, and they do not pay the bills.

Your Social Security number and SSA records are confidential. If someone else asks for information the SSA has about you, they will not give any information without your written consent, unless the law requires or permits it.

Contact the SSA if you need a Social Security number, if you lose your card and need another one or if you need to change your name on your current card. They will ask you to fill out a simple one-page form and ask to see certain documents. They need to see originals or copies certified by the issuing office.

To get a Social Security number or a replacement card, you must prove your U.S. citizenship or immigration status, age and identity. For a replacement card, proof of your U.S. citizenship and age are not required if they are already in the SSA records. Only certain documents can be accepted as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include your U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. consular report of birth, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, different rules apply for proving your immigration status. Acceptable proofs of identity would include current documents showing your name, identifying information and, preferably, a recent photograph, such as a driver’s license, a state-issued nondriver identification card or a U.S. passport.

To apply for a change of name on your Social Security card, you must show a recently issued document that proves your name has been legally changed. To apply for a change of name on your Social Security card, you must show a recently issued document that proves your name has been legally changed.>

Be sure to safeguard your Social Security card. You are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. For example, changes in noncitizen status that require card updates may not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.

For more information, ask for Your Social Security Number And Card (Publication No. 05-10002). If you are not a citizen, you also can ask for Social Security Numbers For Noncitizens (Publication No. 05-10096).

How you become eligible for Social Security

As you work and pay taxes, you earn Social Security "credits." In 2008, you earn one credit for each $1,050 in earnings—up to a maximum of four credits per year. (The amount of money needed to earn one credit goes up every year.)

Most people need 40 credits (10 years of work) to qualify for benefits. Younger people need fewer credits to be eligible for disability benefits or for family members to be eligible for survivors benefits when the worker dies.