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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

By Pam Shaw
Social Security District Manager
Davenport Social Security Office

SOCIAL SECURITY’S FAQ PAGE CAN ANSWER YOUR IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

There are many online resources about Social Security, but it is important that you visit our official website – SSA.gov – for the most accurate and up-to-date answers. You can find lots of information about our programs and services on our Frequently Asked Questions page at faq.ssa.gov. We feature the most asked questions at the top of the page to include:

• How can I get help from Social Security?
• How much will the COLA amount be for 2025 and when will I receive it?
• What should I do if I receive a call from someone claiming to be a Social Security employee?
• How do I schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment?
• What happens if I work and get Social Security retirement benefits?

You can also browse by topic, including:

• Disability.
• Supplemental Security Income.
• Retirement.
• Medicare.

Many of our FAQs are available in Spanish, as well, at www.ssa.gov/espanol.

Visit our publications library at www.ssa.gov/pubs for more detailed information on many important topics. Most publications are available in text, audio, downloadable formats, and in other languages.

Please share this information with your loved ones.

THREE QUESTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY THAT CAN HELP YOU PLAN YOUR RETIREMENT

Social Security benefits are part of the retirement plan of many American workers. If you’re among the many people paying Social Security taxes, you should get an estimate of what your future benefit may be. Our retirement webpage at www.ssa.gov/retirement is a great place to start mapping out your retirement plan. These three questions will help to guide your planning:

• What factors may affect your retirement benefits?
• When is the right time to start receiving your retirement benefits?
• What documents do you need to provide when you apply for retirement?

We encourage you to use your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount to get an instant estimate of your future retirement benefits. You can also compare the effects of starting your retirement benefits at different ages.

We base your benefit on how much you earned during your working career. Higher lifetime earnings result in higher benefits. If there were some years you didn’t work or had low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than if you had worked steadily. If you never worked and did not pay Social Security taxes, and have a spouse who worked, you may be eligible for spouse’s benefits. You must be at least 62 years old, and your spouse must already be receiving retirement or disability benefits. If you are a younger spouse, you may be eligible for benefits if you have a qualifying child in your care. By a qualifying child, we mean a child who is under age 16 or who receives Social Security disability benefits.

You can learn more at www.ssa.gov/retirement. Please share this information with family and friends to help them prepare for their financial future.

FASTER PROCESSING OF DISABILITY CLAIMS FOR PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Today, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a brain condition that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Since the onset of Alzheimer’s can occur in younger people before they retire, it may affect their ability to work as the disease
progresses.

Our benefits and services are especially vital to people with early-onset Alzheimer’s who are unable to work and may have no other source of income. They may want to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Our Compassionate Allowances program provides faster processing of disability claims for people with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and several other neurodegenerative (brain
degenerative) disorders.

More than a decade ago, Social Security added early-onset Alzheimer’s disease to our Compassionate Allowances program. You can learn more about our Compassionate Allowances program at www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances.

Please share this information with friends and family.