The Social Security Administration recently celebrated its 20th anniversary since it first launched www.socialsecurity.gov, its “award winning website.” Although calling it an “award winning” website might be a tad self congratulatory, the website has made accessing SSA’s services much easier.
Social Security launched its website on May 17, 1994. Back then everyone didn’t have in-home Internet access and you couldn’t access the web from any hand-held device like today, it was a much different world. During this time no one had ever heard of Google, Facebook or Youtube.
The first month the website was launched it received 17,000 hits. Today, the website hosts more than 17 million visits per month. In 2013 more than 83 million visits were made. Social Security announced that its website received the ClearMark Award of Distinction from the Center for Plain Language for the site’s design. This is a nice award, but the best thing about the site is that it allows visitors to apply for programs without leaving their house, something extremely important for people with disabilities.
Currently there are 20 different services visitors can access online, here are a couple of the more useful services:
- Disability Insurance – Disabled workers can complete the application for Disability Insurance benefits in a little over an hour. To be better prepared and to make things go a bit more smoothly, plan on having information related to the last 15 years worth of work history and all the contact information for all the medical treating facilities you’ve visited over the last year.
- Retirement – Visitors can also apply for retirement benefits online. You have to complete an online application, but the process should not take more than 15 minutes. This can be done for people who reach their full retirement age (depends on the year you are born, but for everyone born 1960 and later, this will be age 67) or for people who wish to collect early retirement at age 62. Keep in mind, collecting retirement payments early does incur a penalty. Those who collect early retirement payments will receive about 80 percent of what their full monthly retire amount would be.
- My Social Security – This little service is a recent and valuable addition to web services. Visitors can create their own personal online Social Security account where they can request and access a benefit verification letter, check what Social Security has listed as your earnings, sign-up for direct deposit payments if approved for a program and you can change what Social Security has listed for your address and phone number.
- Program Requirements – The Social Security website is a great source to research the rules the agency has for its programs. With multiple programs available for people with disabilities, it is difficult to know all the rules that apply to the programs. Since Social Security has medical rules and non-medical rules, searching information on the website can get you answers to a lot of your questions.
- Changes – The website is a great place to start if you need to change your name or request a replacement Social Security card. You can save a lot of time by completing an online application and then bringing that application to your local Social Security office. If you don’t know where your local SSA office is, you can type in your zip code, which will provide you the information to your local office. As always, all this information can be accessed by clicking here.
