July 2019
Six More States for Our Online Replacement Card Service
Alaska, Hawaii, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee have been added to the list of states able to use the online Social Security card replacement service. If your clients live in one of the 40 participating states or the District of Columbia, they can log in to their personal my Social Security account and easily request a replacement card. So far, 2.3 million people have received their replacement card by going online instead of visiting an office.
Losing a Social Security card can be frustrating, but our online replacement card service is quick, secure, and free. Keep in mind that, even if someone has lost their card, they may not need a replacement. In most cases, simply knowing their Social Security number is enough.
Tell your clients to visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount/replacement-card.html to see if they qualify.
Working While Disabled
Let your clients know that Social Security is also here to help them get back to work if they are disabled, through the agency’s work incentives and Ticket to Work programs. Special rules make it possible for people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments.
The Ticket to Work program may help people return to work. They can receive free vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals, and other employment support. Your clients can learn more about working while collecting disability benefits by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/work and reading the publication, “Working While Disabled: How We Can Help” at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10095.pdf.
Reporting Earnings Online When You’re Disabled
Social Security provides an online wage reporting service that allows Social Security Disability beneficiaries and their representative payees, Supplement Security Income (SSI) recipients and their spouses, parents, deemors, and representative payees to report wages securely online. The service is available through our existing my Social Security portal.
Wage reporters can still use the SSI Telephone Wage Reporting and SSI Mobile Wage Reporting applications. This online option allows them to avoid visiting a field office to report their wages in person and allows them to print or save a receipt of their report. However, users must still contact an office to report when they first start working for each new employer. It’s also important to note that representative payees are able to report wages, but won’t have access to the beneficiaries’ or recipient’s other information.
You and your clients can visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount today to learn more about this convenient online service.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Managing Other People’s Money Guide
Getting your client’s official information about managing their loved one’s finances is important. Becoming a representative payee for a family member and taking responsibility for their Social Security benefit is something we take seriously. This Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guide contains useful information about handling funds and managing the affairs of someone receiving benefits from a federal agency, including Social Security. Your clients can access the guide and more at www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/managing-someone-elses-money.
If you or your clients suspect a Social Security beneficiary is the victim of financial exploitation, please contact your local Social Security office or call our national toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Save Time by Going Online
Your clients can do much of their business with us from anywhere using our online services at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. This means they do not have to visit a field office or call us. Many of our online services are available through my Social Security.
With a free, personal my Social Security account, your clients can receive personalized estimates of future benefits based on their actual earnings, see their latest Statement, and review their earnings history. With a my Social Security account, they also can easily request a replacement Social Security Card (in most states and the District of Columbia) or check the status of an application.
Encourage your clients to go to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to create or access an account now.
