Estate Planning News
Filing for Social Security Benefits
How to file for and obtain Social Security benefits.
Start the process of filing for Social
Security benefits by contacting your local Social Security office. Most
sizable cities have at least one Social Security office; in major urban
areas, there will be several. You can find the address and telephone
number of the office closest to you in your telephone directory under
the listing for United States Government, Social Security
Administration, or sometimes under United States Government, Department
of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration. If you
have trouble finding an office nearby, call the Social Security
Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or visit its website at http://www.ssa.gov.
Social Security workers should be able to
answer general questions about benefits and rules over the phone --
including what type of paperwork must be completed and what
documentation is required to claim each kind of benefit. It is
generally best to get the benefit application process started by paying
a personal visit to the nearest office. If illness or disability
prevents this, however, call for accommodations. The most important
thing is to act promptly and apply for the benefits to which you are
entitled.
If you need to receive benefit payments at
the youngest eligibility age, file your claim three months before the
birthday on which you will become eligible. This will give Social
Security time to process your claim so that you will receive the
benefits on time. If you file a claim later, you cannot get benefits
retroactively for months during which you were eligible but before you
applied.
Anyone who is eligible for Social Security
benefits is also eligible for Medicare coverage at age 65. Even if you
are not going to claim Social Security benefits at age 65 -- because
your benefit amount will be higher if you wait -- you should sign up
for Medicare coverage three months before your 65th birthday. There is
no reason to delay signing up for Medicare, and waiting until after
your 65th birthday will delay coverage.
To read and printout a copy of the Form please link below.
Checklist: Taking Advantage of Benefits for Seniors
You can download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader at
http://www.adobe.com/acrobat/readstep.html
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