Social Security

Inspector General Announces 2^nd National “Slam the Scam” Day

Social Security’s Inspector General, Gail S. Ennis, designated Thursday, March 4, 2021 as the second annual National “Slam the Scam” Day. Slam the Scam raises public awareness about the government imposter telephone scams that continue to spread across the United States. Slam the Scam is part of National Consumer Protection Week, February 28 – March 6.

Please encourage your clients to visit our Scam Awareness page at oig.ssa.gov/scam for more information about National “Slam the Scam” Day and Social Security-related scams. Your clients can also visit our Fraud Prevention and Reporting page for additional resources at www.ssa.gov/antifraudfacts. We hope you will help us “Slam the Scam” on March 4!

Social Security Celebrates Black History Month

In February, our nation honors African Americans by celebrating Black History Month. Our programs and services offer a lifetime of protections for African Americans and their families. Your clients might find our People Like Me page helpful when planning for their future financial security: www.ssa.gov/people/africanamericans.

Also, please let your clients know that they can do much of their Social Security business online with secure access to their personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Update: New Fact Sheets Added to the Online Statement

Your clients’ Social Security Statement, available using a my Social Security account, explains how much they or their family could receive in disability, survivor, and retirement benefits.

We’ve added new fact sheets to accompany the online Statement. The fact sheets are designed to provide clear and useful information based on age group and earnings situations. The fact sheets can help your clients better understand Social Security programs and benefits.

The new Statement fact sheets cover the following topics:

• Retirement readiness for workers in four specific age groups.
• Workers with non-covered earnings who may be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset.
• Social Security basics for new workers.
• How people become eligible for benefits (for workers not fully insured).
• How additional work can increase future benefits.
• Medicare readiness for workers age 62 and up.

If a client does not have a personal my Social Security account, please encourage them to create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. They can access their Statement, fact sheets, and other useful tools and information tailored to their needs.

You or your clients can visit our Social Security Statement webpage to learn more. Please share these resources with your clients.

Making the Most of America Saves Week

This year, America Saves Week (ASW) ran from February 22 through 26. ASW is an opportunity for organizations to encourage good financial habits. It’s the perfect time to promote helping millions of people prepare for their financial future. Ask your clients to join the #ASW21 movement and use this hashtag when posting about their savings goals on social media.

People who save money and have a retirement plan are twice as likely to save successfully. Daily themes for the week included:

• Monday - Save Automatically.
• Tuesday - Save for the Unexpected.
• Wednesday - Save to Retire.
• Thursday - Save by Reducing Debt.
• Friday - Save as a Family.

You can pledge to save at www.americasavesweek.org.

We have many tools for retirement planning to help your clients with their retirement saving goals. Your clients can access our online information and resources at www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement.

Show Your Clients What They Can Do Online at SSA.gov

Our online services make it easy for your clients to do business with us on the go or from the comfort of home. Please direct your clients to www.ssa.gov/onlineservices.

Your clients will benefit from opening a free, personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount for an enhanced online experience. With their account, your clients can:

• Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card.
• View their personalized retirement benefit estimates.
• Check their benefit application status.
• Set up or change their direct deposit information.
• Print a proof of benefits letter.
• Receive some notices online.

Please share these helpful resources with your clients today.

Get Your Benefit Statement Online as Tax Day Approaches

The Benefit Statement, also known as the Social Security 1099 (SSA-1099) or 1042S (SSA-1042S), is a tax form that we mail in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. If your clients misplaced or did not receive it, they can get a copy of their SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S right now with their personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Keep in mind that Social Security benefits may be taxable. Please visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/taxes.html to learn more.

Social Security Update 2021

Every year, we provide new information about Social Security taxes, benefits, earnings limits, and Medicare costs. By law, many of the numbers change automatically each year to keep up with changes in prices and wage levels. This information is important for people who:

• Work and want information on taxes and work credits.
• Receive Social Security benefits and want to know the earnings limits.
• Receive Supplemental Security Income and want information on payment maximums.

Please share with your clients the updated 2021 Social Security information. They can find it in our shareable publication: www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10003.pdf.