at Your First Job?

By Warren Beck Social Security District Manager in Syracuse.

Ever wonder how much you earned the year you worked your first job? Or any other year you worked? You can find out by reviewing your Social Security earnings record.

Your earnings record shows your income for each year worked and your progress toward your future Social Security benefits. We keep track of your earnings so we can pay you the benefits you’ve earned over your lifetime. That’s why it’s important for you to review your Social Security earnings record.

While it’s your employer’s responsibility to provide accurate earnings information to us, you should still review your earnings history and inform us of any errors or omissions. This is so you get credit for the contributions you’ve made through payroll taxes. You’re the only person who can look at your lifetime earnings record and verify that it’s complete and correct.

If an employer didn’t properly report even just one year of your earnings to us, your future benefit payments could be less than they

Q&A

Q.: I will rely on Medicare when I retire. Can you explain the different parts of Medicare?

A.: The different parts of Medicare cover your specific needs. There are four parts, all of which work in tandem to deliver healthcare services:

• Part A (hospital insurance): Helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay), some home health care and hospice care.

• Part B (medical insurance): Helps pay for doctor’s services and many other medical services and supplies that hospital insurance doesn’t cover.

• Part C (Medicare Advantage plans): If you have Medicare Parts A and B, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan. Private companies offer Medicare Advantage plans, which are approved by Medicare. These plans generally help you pay the medical costs not covered by Medicare Part A and B.

• Part D (prescription drug coverage): Helps pay for medications doctors prescribe for treatment.

Q.: How do I earn Social Security credits and how many do I need to qualify for benefits?

A.: We use your total yearly earnings to figure your Social Security credits. The amount needed for a credit in 2023 is $1,640. You must should be. Over the course of a lifetime, that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in retirement or other benefits to which you are entitled. It’s important to identify and report errors as soon as possible. As time passes, you may no longer have easy access to past tax documents. Also, some employers may no longer exist or be able to provide past payroll information. earn $6,560 to get the maximum four credits for the year. The amount needed to earn one credit usually increases each year when average wages increase.

The easiest way to verify your earnings record is to visit www.ssa. gov/myaccount and create or sign in to your personal my Social Security account. You should review each year of listed earnings carefully and confirm them using your own records, such as W-2s and tax returns. Keep in mind that earnings from this year and last year may not be listed yet.

You can find out how to correct your Social Security earnings record by reading our publication How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN05-10081.pdf.

Let your friends and family know they can access important information like this any time at www. ssa.gov and do much of their business with us online.

To qualify for Social Security benefits, you must earn a certain number of credits. The number of credits you need depends on your age when you apply and the type of benefit. No one needs more than 40 credits for any Social Security benefit. You can read more about credits in How You Earn Credits at www.ssa. gov/pubs/EN-05-10072.pdf.

For more information, visit our website at www.ssa.gov/retirement.

Q.: What is substantial gainful activity (SGA)?

A.: We use the term “substantial gainful activity,” or “SGA,” to describe a level of work activity and earnings. Work is “substantial” if it involves doing significant physical or mental activities or a combination of both.

If you earn more than a certain amount and are doing productive work, we generally consider that you are engaging in SGA. For example, the monthly SGA amount for 2023 is $1,470. For a statutorily blind person, that amount is $2,460. In these cases, you would not be eligible for disability benefits if you made more than those amounts. You can read more about substantial gainful activity and if your earnings qualify as SGA at www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html.

Excellus named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has been named to the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion. Excellus received a top score of 100% on the 2023 Disability Equality Index (DEI), a national benchmarking survey by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). inclusion officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “Our continued application to the Disability Equality Index allows us to learn, identify opportunities for positive change, prioritize universal design practices, and combat stigma and biases.

“We are proud of this designation, while recognizing there is always more to do to drive more inclusive and accessible experiences for our employees, members, and the communities we live in and serve,” she added.

Sady Fischer

The DEI is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score on a scale of zero to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.”

“Being named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for the third consecutive year reflects the dedication, passion, and work of so many throughout our organization — guided by a commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access,” said Sady Alvarado-Fischer, vice president, diversity, equity and

The DEI is a joint initiative of the AAPD, the nation’s largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. The organizations are complimentary and bring unique strengths that make the project relevant and credible to corporations and the disability community. The tool was developed by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates.

St. Joes recognized for quality stroke care

St. Joseph’s Health has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guide-