Anyone who has ever tried to call a Social Security office knows the frustration with how long you have to hold before you can actually reach a live person to talk to. Recent news from the Social Security Administration doesn’t promise to improve that service, but a new enhanced online service might enable you to bypass calling Social Security all together.
This week the Social Security Administration announced enhanced services through My Social Security account, a personalized online account service found at the agency’s website www.ssa.gov.
“We are making it even easier for people to do their business with us from the comfort of their home, office or library,” SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue said. “I encourage people of all ages to take advantage of our award-winning online services and check out the new features available through an online My Social Security account.”
This new service will allow Social Security retirement, disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries to go online to obtain an official benefit verification letter, something SSA employees had to spend valuable time on last year when 9 million requests for such letters were submitted. Verification letters serve as proof of income to secure loans, mortgages, and other state and local benefits.
“These new enhancements will allow us to provide faster service to more people in more places,” Astrue said.
In addition to acquiring verification letters, Social Security recipients are able to access payment history and earnings records through the My Social Security account services. The Social Security website is also a place where people can view Social Security retirement and disability statements, which are no longer mailed to recipients, and are able to estimate future benefits in planning for retirement.
Anyone 18 years and older with a Social Security number can sign-up for the My Social Security account service by answering some verification questions supplied online at the Social Security website.
For more information or to get started creating My Social Security account visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
