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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Rock Island, Illinois Office

By Cristina Vital
Social Security Manager
Rock Island Social Security Office

SOCIAL SECURITY IS HERE WHEN YOU’RE READY FOR RETIREMENT

When you think you’re ready to retire, we’re here to help you make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits.  You should decide based on your individual and family circumstances.

Would it be better for you to start getting benefits early with a smaller monthly amount over a longer period? Or perhaps wait for a larger monthly payment over less time?  The answer is personal and depends on several factors, such as your current and anticipated cash needs, health, and your family history on longevity. Most importantly, you should study your future financial needs and obligations, and estimate your future Social Security benefit.

The best and easiest way to estimate your future Social Security benefits is with a personal my Social Security account.  You can create your free account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.  Use your account to see how much you might receive each month based on the age at which you want to start receiving benefits.

We encourage you to weigh all the factors carefully before deciding when to begin receiving Social Security benefits. This decision affects the monthly benefit amount you will receive for the rest of your life and may affect benefits for your survivors.

Social Security’s Online Retirement Resources

Whether you’re ready to learn about, apply for, or manage your retirement benefits, our online resources make it easy for you to find the information you need.  How easy?  You can do it from your computer, tablet, and even smartphone!

On our website, you can:

• Get our publications.
• Estimate your benefits with one of our many calculators.
• Find your Full Retirement Age.
• Learn about benefits for a spouse and family members.
• Apply for benefits.
• Manage your benefits once you start receiving them.

You and your loved ones can discover all these resources at www.ssa.gov/retirement.

SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICES FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY

For nearly 90 years, Social Security has provided financial protection to communities throughout the United States, including the Hispanic community.

Today, our retirement, disability, and survivors benefits are an important source of income for Hispanics. Our Spanish-language website, www.ssa.gov/espanol, provides information for those whose primary language is Spanish.  There, people can learn how to get a Social Security card, plan for retirement, apply for benefits, manage their benefits, and much more.

We also provide many publications in Spanish at www.ssa.gov/espanol/publicaciones.  Popular topics include:

• Retirement, Disability, and Survivors benefits.
• Medicare.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• Social Security cards.
• Fraud and scams.
• Appeals.
• Benefits for children.
• Payments outside the U.S.

Customers who prefer to conduct business in Spanish can reach a Spanish-speaking representative at 1-800-772-1213.  Please share these resources with friends and family who may need them.

Question & Answer

Question: I usually get my benefit payment on the third of the month. But what if the third falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday? Will my payment be late?

Answer: Just the opposite. Your payment should arrive early. For example, if you usually get your payment on the third of a month, but it falls on a Saturday, we will make payments on the Friday prior to the due date. Find more information about the payment schedule for 2022 at www.ssa.gov/pubs/calendar.htm. Any time you don’t receive a payment, be sure to wait three days before calling to report it missing. To ensure that your benefits are going to the right place, create a my Social Security account. There, you can verify and manage your benefits without visiting your local office. Please visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount to create your account.

Question: I’m 17 and eager to start my first summer job, but my mother misplaced my Social Security card. How can I get another?

Answer: If you know your Social Security number, you may not need to get a replacement card to obtain employment. However, if a prospective employer requests it, you can get a replacement Social Security card by following the steps below. There is no charge for a Social Security card, but you are limited to three per calendar year and 10 replacement cards during your lifetime.

You will need to:

• Show the required documents. We need to see different documents depending on your citizenship and the type of card you are requesting. Go to www.ssa.gov/ssnumber to find out what documents you will have to show.
• Fill out an Application for a Social Security Card.
• Take or mail your application and original or certified copies of the original documents to your local Social Security office.

For more information, read our pamphlet, Your Social Security Number and Card at www.ssa.gov/pubs.