Explore the Benefits You May Exist Due

You, or Your Family unit Members, May Be Eligible for Increased Benefits

Our mission is to evangelize Social Security services that meet the changing needs of the public.

Information technology'southward non unusual for a do good recipient'southward circumstances to alter afterward they apply or became eligible for benefits. If you, or a family fellow member, receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), certain life changes may bear on eligibility for an increase in your federal benefits. For example, if your spouse or ex-spouse dies, you may go eligible for a college Social Security benefit.

To find out if you, or a family unit member, might be eligible for a do good based on some other person's work, or a college benefit based on your own work, encounter the information about benefits on the Social Security website. You can also utilize the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST) to find out if you lot could get benefits that Social Security administers. Based on your answers to questions, this tool volition list benefits for which you might be eligible and tell y'all more information virtually how to authorize and utilize.

The questions and answers beneath are most a few of the life changes that could possibly increment your benefits.

Has your spouse or ex-spouse died?

If your spouse or ex-spouse has died, you may be eligible for a college survivor benefit based on his or her work. The death of an ex-spouse may allow yous to be eligible for a higher survivor benefit even if you are already receiving a survivor benefit on some other spouse.

Are you receiving Medicare benefits based on your work that includes at to the lowest degree ten years of earnings from which you paid Social Security taxes?

If yous are at to the lowest degree age 65, y'all may be eligible for cash benefits on your own record. If y'all are full retirement age or older, you can work and receive your monthly Social Security benefits, no matter how much you earn.  Please review this publication for more information.

Is your adult child who was helping to support you deceased?

If your kid had enough work credits and was providing at least half of your support, you lot may be eligible for a college parent'south do good based on his or her piece of work.

Are you currently unmarried but formerly married for ten years or more?

If you are at to the lowest degree 62 years one-time and unmarried, you may exist eligible for a benefit based on a former spouse'due south piece of work if that marriage lasted 10 years or more.

Are you lot receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security benefits and have past military machine service?

If you lot served in the U.S. military, you may be eligible for benefits through the Veterans Administration. Visit this link for more than data: http://www.va.gov/

Are you lot receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and accept a parent who is deceased or receiving Social Security benefits?

If you are unmarried and under age 18 or were disabled prior to age 22, and your parent is deceased or receiving Social Security benefits, you may exist eligible for child benefits based on your parent's work.

IMPORTANT: If you lot are receiving benefits, there are certain life events that you are required to report. For a complete list, please select the publication below that applies to the type of benefits you receive.

NOTE: Failure to report a change may consequence in an overpayment.

What You Need To Know When You lot Get Retirement Or Survivors Benefits

What You Need To Know When Yous Become Social Security Disability Benefits
(Pages 11-xviii)

What You lot Need To Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
(Pages 7-xix)

Contacting Social Security

Our website is a valuable resource for data about all of Social Security'due south programs. There are a number of things you lot tin can practice online.

In improver to using our website, you can call us toll-free at ane-800-772-1213. Nosotros care for all calls confidentially. We can reply specific questions from viii a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Generally, you'll have a shorter wait fourth dimension if you call during the week after Tuesday. Nosotros can provide information by automatic telephone service 24 hours a solar day. (You can use our automated response system to tell us a new address or request a replacement Medicare menu.) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, y'all may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

We as well want to make certain y'all receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls.

Related Information

  • Retirement Planner
  • Inability Planner
  • Survivors' Planner

Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool

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