SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Happy
Birthday Social Security Administration celebrates programs, services Look who’s over the hill! In August, we celebrated the 81st anniversary of Social Security. Although Social Security’s overall structure remains the same, it’s impossible to overlook the changes in the economy and advancements in technology that made it necessary to transform our programs into what they are today. In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, which gave birth to Social Security, (almost) as we know it today.
The program was created primarily as a response to the growing rate of poverty within the elderly population. Here we are in the future, and Social Security has come a long way from 1940, when Ida May Fuller became the first person to receive a benefit check. In 2015 alone, almost 60 million people received Social Security benefits. The number of beneficiaries is growing daily, and Social Security is developing ways to make conducting business with us easier and more secure. With several
services available online, including my Social Security, you might never have to visit a field office. This is especially beneficial for the aging community or those living in remote areas, as traveling to field offices may be difficult. Choosing when to retire is an important decision. At www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator you can get an estimate of your future benefit amount. You can use “what if” scenarios to see how your benefit amounts will change with different retirement dates
and future earnings estimates. With 37 percent of the American workforce teleworking and almost 70 percent of Americans doing most of their shopping online, we have evolved into a society of convenience. Not to be outdone, like a hip grandma, Social Security has adapted to the times. Below is a list of a few of the services currently available from the convenience of your computer. Online you can: Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card
Apply for Social Security benefits Get your Social Security Statement Appeal a decision Find out if you qualify for benefits Estimate your future benefits Get your SSI & Medicare verification letter Join us in wishing Social Security a Happy 81st birthday and utilize these online services by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount.
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Programs as diverse as those Social Security serves From women and children, to the elderly and disabled, Social Security has you covered. Because we value and appreciate the differences that make up our nation, our programs are as diverse as those we serve. We’re with you throughout every stage of your life, and we’re always working to provide services that meet your changing needs. Our programs serve as vital financial protection for millions of people. When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits. These credits count toward retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. A program everyone should be familiar with is Social Security’s retirement program. Whether you’re a young adult paying Social Security taxes for the first time or a retiree receiving benefits, this is a program that will affect you during and after your working years. You can learn more about your earnings and potential benefits by visiting www.ssa.gov/ retire/. Social Security administers the largest disability program in the nation. A severe illness or injury robs a person of the ability to work
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and earn a living. Thankfully, Social Security disability benefits can provide a critical source of financial support during a time of need. For more on disability benefits, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ disability. When a family loses a wage
earner, it can be both emotionally and financially devastating. However, Social Security can help secure a family’s financial future if a loved one dies with survivor benefits. The best thing for your family you can do is to prepare as much as possible: get started at www.
socialsecurity.gov/survivors. Social Security’s programs are neutral regarding gender, age, race, and orientation — individuals with identical earnings histories and needs are treated the same
in terms of benefits. We are proud the diverse public we serve reflects the programs we offer. Visit www. socialsecurity.gov today to see how we can serve you and secure your today and tomorrow.
STEVE KNAPP, Lockard Realty
Online access, cool tools at Social Security In the service of securing today and tomorrow, Social Security has a full basket of services. Our table is ready to serve millions of Americans online, by phone, and in person in our network of field offices. It is easy to pick the method that is best for you from the comfort of your home or on the go. The quality service you expect from us is easy, secure, and convenient to access when you go online. Signing up for a my Social Security account will give you a secure and efficient way to interact with us and accomplish various tasks, including estimating your future benefits or managing your current benefits. You
can sign up for your own account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and join the more than 25 million Americans who already conduct business with us online using my Social Security. Another way you can contact us is toll-free at 1-800-7721213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Of course, you can also use the field office locator at www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/contact to find your local field office, where you can speak with a Social Security employee face-to-face. Social Security has retirement benefits and the tools to help you plan for your retirement and apply for benefits online. But that’s
not all. We also provide disability benefits to individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from working. If the disabled individual has dependent family members, they can also receive payments. There are also survivors benefits for widows, widowers, and deceased workers’ dependent children. When you create your my Social Security account, you can view your Social Security Statement to see estimates of the future retirement, disability, and survivors benefits you and your family may be eligible to receive. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov today, and we’ll save you a place.
Steve, a lifelong resident, has been a real estate broker and professional manager since 1973. He uses his expertise to assist clients in real estate transactions in residential homes, commercial and investment properties, development, or property management.
“Producing Successful Results” “Steve would call with regular updates and would return our calls quickly. We called him because our son was so happy with him when he bought his home years ago. He’s the best!” - C.D.
493-4000 Steve Knapp Managing Broker
STORIES PROVIDED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Steve is managing broker of the leading residential and commercial brokerage firm and is consistently a leading buyer and seller agent. He has served on several local boards of directors in the last 25 years, and as a WaterlooCedar Falls Board of Realtors officer and director. sknapp@lockardonline.com
4501 Prairie Parkway, Cedar Falls 50613
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Tips for preparing for your disability interview When a person becomes disabled, it can be a very stressful time in their life. There are many questions and unknowns when you have to transition out of the workforce due to medical issues. While an employer may offer short or long-term disability, most people faced with a disability will file for benefits with Social Security. If you’re facing life with a disability and don’t know where to start, we encourage you to visit our website at www.socialse-
Information, services offered in Spanish The most important things to you are your family and maintaining the feeling of individuality through your language. That’s why Social Security provides a website — www.segurosocial.gov — with a variety of publications and services in Spanish that are important to you and your family. If you need to apply for your first Social Security number or a get a replacement Social Security card, we invite you to read our publications Social Security Numbers for Children and Your Social Security Number and Card. We offer a toll free number, 1-800-772-1213, which provides automated instructions for Spanish speakers. We also try to have employees available on the phone and in many of our offices who speak Spanish. However, if you need an interpreter, you can go to www.segurosocial.gov/espanol/ interpreter.htm to find out more about our free interpreter services. Whether it’s through our website, visiting one of our offices, or calling our toll free number, we at Social Security maintain our commitment of providing first-class service to the nation’s growing Latino community. To learn more, visit www.segurosocial.gov.
curity.gov/disabilityssi. You can apply for benefits on our website; it’s the most convenient way. Additionally, you can contact us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800325-0778) or visit your local office if you wish to apply for disability benefits. When applying for benefits, you should be prepared to answer a number of questions including: When your conditions became disabling: Dates you last worked; The names, addresses, phone
numbers, and dates of visits to your doctors; The names of medications that you take and medical tests you’ve had; and Marital information. In addition, if you plan on applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability payments, for people with low income who haven’t paid enough in Social Security taxes to be covered, we will ask you questions about: Your current living arrangement, including who lives there
and household expenses; All sources of income for you and your spouse, if applicable; and The amount of your resources, including bank account balances, vehicles, and other investments. You can view our disability starter kit at www.socialsecurity. gov/disability/disability_starter_ kits.htm. Remember, we are there when you might be faced with one of the hardest obstacles of your life. Social Security helps secure today
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and tomorrow with critical benefits for people with severe disabilities, not just during retirement. Learn more at www.socialsecu-
Honoring beneficiaries of Social Security Social Security is committed to the principles and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which improves the lives of our beneficiaries and our employees who have disabilities. We also want you to see and hear from the people who rely on Social Security disability benefits to not just survive, but thrive, as
active members of our communities. Our Faces and Facts of Disability website highlights the real life stories of people who have disabilities. The newest person we are featuring on our Faces and Facts of Disability website is Lynne Parks. She is an artist from Baltimore, Maryland. First diagnosed with
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metastatic fibrosarcoma at age 14, she has lived with this illness for nearly 35 years. The disability benefits Lynne receives are a crucial resource for her quality of life. Our disability programs continue to be a mainstay in the lives of many people — people just like you. Social Security disability beneficiaries
are among the most severely impaired people in the country. It’s something that can happen to anyone. We invite you to learn the facts about the disability insurance program, and see and hear these stories of hardship and perseverance at www.socialsecurity.gov/ disabilityfacts.
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Benefits available for children battling some diseases Social Security provides benefits for children who suffer from many disabling diseases, including some forms of cancer. These benefits could help with the additional costs of caring for an ill child. Although children haven’t paid Social Security taxes and, thus, cannot be covered for Social Security disability benefits, they may receive disability benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI pays benefits to disabled children who have limited income and resources. If you wish to apply for benefits for your child, you’ll need to complete an application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and a Child Disability Report. The report collects information about your child’s disabling condition, and about how it affects his or her ability to function. Here are the steps to apply. Review the Child Disability Starter Kit. This kit answers common questions about applying for SSI benefits for children, and includes a worksheet that will help you gather the information you will need. You can view the starter kit at www.socialsecurity.gov/ disability/disability_starter_ kits_child_eng.htm The SSI program has strict limits on the amount of income and assets you can have. It is a “needs-based” program for people who have low family income and resources. Contact Social Security right away to find out if the income and resources of the parents and the child are within the allowed limits, and to start the SSI application process. Fill out the online Child Disability Report. At the end of the report, we’ll ask you to sign a form that gives the child’s doctor(s) permission to give us information about the child’s disability. We need this information to make a decision on your child’s application. The Child Disability Report is
cal conditions that invariably qualify under the listing of impairments based on minimal objective medical information. The Compassionate Allowances list allows Social Security to identify the most seriously disabled people for
LifeLong Links works to give you access to a variety of local services and resources:
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available in the Child Disability Starter Kit. Social Security also has an obligation to provide benefits quickly to applicants whose medical conditions are so se-
rious that they obviously meet our strict disability standards. Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances program enables us to quickly identify diseases and other medi-
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allowances based on objective medical information that we can obtain quickly. Compassionate Allowances is not a separate program from the SSI program. Learn more at www. socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
The first step in making the right decisions for you and your family is having the information you need. LifeLong Links™ is Iowa’s network of Aging and Disability Resource Centers, designed to link older Iowans, people with disabilities, veterans and their caregivers with the information and resources they need to plan for long-term independent living. Administered by the Iowa Department on Aging, LifeLong Links is available to all Iowans who need home and community-based services and is accessible through physical locations across Iowa, a toll-free call center and a website. No matter how you choose to access LifeLong Links, information and referral specialists will help you identify which supports and services are available in your area and options counselors will assist you in developing a person-centered action plan to help you achieve your goals for independence and full participation in your community.
Visit www.lifelonglinks.org, call 1.866.468.7887 or stop by NEI3A to start planning today!