Social Security www.socialsecurity.gov Simone D. Herndon Public Affairs Specialist This presentation produced at U.S. taxpayer expense.

Low Income Energy Assistance Home energy assistance payments or allowances provided to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients under the Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program are excluded from income and resources. SSA simply verifies that the assistance is provided under LIHEAP LIHEAP programs also verify SSI Income for eligibility Home energy assistance payments or allowances provided to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients under the Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program are excluded from income and resources. SSA simply verifies that the assistance is provided under LIHEAP LIHEAP programs also verify SSI Income for eligibility

Your Online Account ... Your Control ... my Social Security Your Online Account ... Your Control ... One of the best ways recipients can gain access to necessary information is through their mySocial Security accounts. my Social Security is a convenient way to access valuable, personal Social Security information, whether you’ve been working and paying Social Security taxes or are receiving Social Security benefits. And you can check your online account just about whenever you want at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. my Social Security is an easy-to-access, easy-to-use portal to view and update some of your own Social Security information.  

my Social Security It’s quick. It’s secure. It’s easy.

Important Information About Your Social Security Number Printout To protect the integrity of the Social Security number and prevent fraud, effective August 1, 2014, the Social Security Administration no longer provides Social Security number printouts.

my Social Security Services  If you do get benefits you can— Check your benefit and payment information and verify your earnings record Change your address and phone number Start or change your direct deposit Get a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for tax season Get a replacement Medicare Card Request a Social Security number replacement card if you meet certain requirements

my Social Security Services If you don’t get benefits, you can— Review estimates of your future retirement and disability benefits Review estimates of the benefits your family may get when you receive Social Security or die Verify your lifetime earnings according to Social Security’s records Review the estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid View, save, and print your Social Security Statement Request a Social Security number replacement card if you meet certain requirements Your online my Social Security account provides a wealth of information to help you and your family. (Walk through the bullets in the slide.) (Note to presenter: Services are available and presented to registered users based on the type of benefits they receive. If the user does not receive benefits: Access online Social Security Statement If the user only receives Social Security benefits: Get benefit verification letter Change address and telephone number Start or change direct deposit If the user only receives SSI benefits: If the user receives both Social Security and SSI benefits: If the user only receives Medicare: Change address and telephone number)  

Who Can Open a my Social Security Account? You must be at least 18 years old and have a: Valid E-mail address Social Security number U.S. mailing address Almost anyone can open a my Social Security account. You must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid e-mail address, a Social Security number, and a U.S. mailing address (includes military addresses, APO/FPO/DPO AE, AP or AA). There are many options available to set up an email address and it can be done in as little as five minutes. Each email provider has its own criteria for setting up an account and you must accept the provider’s terms of use agreement. Some examples of free email providers include: AOL: aolmail.com Gmail: gmail.com iCloud Mail (Apple): icloud.com Outlook: outlook.com Yahoo: yahoo.com *This is not a complete list of email providers. Social Security is not endorsing any of these particular email account provider(s), as you may use other email account providers as appropriate. Even if you do not use email on the computer, if you have a smart phone it is likely that you already have an email account. Contact your cell phone service provider to find out. You can only open a my Social Security account for yourself. You cannot open a my Social Security account for another person, even if you have his or her written consent. This also applies to an appointed representative or someone who is in business with the number holder. You may be unable to open a my Social Security account if you: •     Blocked electronic access to your personal Social Security information; •     Recently moved or changed your name; or •     Placed a freeze on your credit report.

How to open a my Social Security account 1 Visit socialsecurity.gov/myaccount 2 Select: Create an Account Provide some personal information to verify your identity. 3 4 Choose a username and password to create your account. After you have a valid email address, you are ready to open your own my Social Security account. To start, go to socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and select “Create an Account”. This will bring you to our Terms of Service page. After reading this information, select the box that displays, “I agree to the Terms of Service” and select “Next” to continue. To secure your identity, we ask a few personal questions to which only you will likely know the answer.  

my Social Security You May Choose to Add Extra Security In addition to your username and password, you can choose to enter a unique code that will be sent to your text-enabled cell phone each time you want to sign in. Standard text messaging rates still apply. To add this feature, you will first have to provide us with one of the following to verify your identity: The last eight digits of your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover credit card Information from your W-2 tax form Information from your 1040 Schedule SE (self-employment) tax form Your direct deposit amount, if you receive Social Security benefits You will also notice the option of adding an extra level of security to your account. By selecting “Yes, let’s start now” you are prompted to select an additional question to answer. With this feature, you will receive a temporary code via text message each time you attempt to log in. And you will use this code with your account password. Keep in mind that your cell phone provider’s message rates may apply. To add this feature, you will first have to provide us with one of the following to verify your identity: The last eight digits of your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover credit card; Information from your W-2 tax form; Information from a 1040 Schedule SE (self-employment) tax form; or Your direct deposit amount, if you receive Social Security benefits. In the past, we told you Social Security would never ask for your credit card number or other financial information. We have changed our policy for this one service. Now, we may ask you for the last eight digits of your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover credit card or some other financial information. Our new security process and federal guidelines require that we do this so we can be sure that you are who you say you are when you conduct online business with us. This information provides extra security because even if someone gets your username and password, he or she will not be able to access your personal information. Once you give us this additional information, we will send you a letter in the mail in five to 10 business days. You will need this letter to complete the process to add extra security. You can upgrade to extra security or disable it at any time.  

Getting A Replacement Social Security Card Information For Advocates, Social Service Agencies and Other Third Parties If your clients need replacement Social Security cards, they must provide proof of: Identity Age US citizenship or lawful immigration status.

Getting A Replacement Social Security Card Information For Advocates, Social Service Agencies and Other Third Parties Before sending clients to a Social Security office, please direct them to www.socialsecurity.gov. There, your clients will find a list of documents they must bring to our office, saving time.

Getting A Replacement Social Security Card Information For Advocates, Social Service Agencies and Other Third Parties All documents submitted must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents

www.socialsecurity.gov. 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) For More Information www.socialsecurity.gov. 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778)