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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

By Pam Shaw
Social Security District Manager
Davenport Social Security Office

SOCIAL SECURITY SUPPORTS RURAL COMMUNITIES

Social Security touches the lives of nearly every American. Millions count on us — retirees, people no longer able to work due to disability, dependents, and survivors. As a member of the Rural Partners Network, we want to continue reaching out to rural communities.

We make it easy for you to access our programs and services. Our website offers a convenient way to apply online for benefits. Visit www.ssa.gov/applyonline to learn how to apply for:

• Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits – You must be at least 61 years and 9 months and want your benefits to start in no more than 4 months.
• Disability Benefits – Our disability program pays benefits to workers who are insured and certain family members. This means that they worked long enough – and recently enough – and paid Social Security taxes on their earnings.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness, or people 65 or older, who have low income and resources. After you begin your application online, we will review the information you submit and contact you by mail or phone if we have questions.    
• Medicare – Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older or have a disability or end-stage renal disease. If you are not receiving Social Security benefits and not covered under an employer group health plan, you may want to consider applying for Medicare 3 months before turning age 65.

Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs – Extra Help assists with monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments related to Medicare prescription drug coverage for people with limited income and resources. Apply at www.ssa.gov/extrahelp.

Rural community leaders should encourage others to sign up for a personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. With a personal my Social Security account, they can request a replacement Social Security card, verify earnings, get future benefit estimates, and obtain benefit verification letters.

If they are not able to use our online services, they can speak with a representative by calling our National toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If an office visit is required, we can make an appointment. In addition, our automated phone services are available 24 hours a day, so they may not need to wait for a representative. Learn more at www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/phone.html.

We remain committed to helping maintain the well-being of the people we serve—including those in rural areas. Please share this information with others in your local community.

ELIGIBILITY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY SPOUSE’S BENEFITS

Social Security helps you secure today and tomorrow with financial benefits, information, and tools that support you through life’s journey.  If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to get benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits as a spouse. Your spouse must be receiving benefits for you to get benefits on their record. If your spouse does not receive retirement or disability, you’ll have to wait to apply on your spouse’s record.

In addition, to be eligible for spouse’s benefits, you must be one of the following:

• 62 years of age or older.
• Any age if you have a child who is younger than 16 in your care or has a disability and is entitled to benefits on your spouse’s record.

If you wait until you reach full retirement age to receive benefits, you’ll receive your full spouse’s benefit amount, which is up to one-half the amount your spouse receives. You’ll also get your full spouse’s benefit if you are under full retirement age, but care for a child and one of the following applies:

• The child is younger than age 16.
• The child has a disability and is entitled to benefits on your spouse’s record.

If you receive retirement on your own record, we will pay that amount first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own benefit, you will get a combination of benefits that equals the higher spouse’s benefit.

Consider this example: Sandy is eligible for a monthly retirement benefit of $1,000 and a spouse’s benefit of $1,250. If she waits for Social Security until her full retirement age, she will receive her own $1,000 retirement benefit. We will add $250 from her spouse’s benefit, for a total of $1,250 a month. Sandy only gets an additional spouse’s benefit because her own benefit is less than half her spouse’s full retirement age benefit.

Want to apply for either your retirement or your spouse’s benefits or both? Are you at least 61 years and 9 months old?  If you answer yes to both, visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement to get started today.

Are you divorced from a marriage that lasted at least 10 years? You may be able to get benefits on your former spouse’s record. For more information, please visit our website at www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html.