Questions & Answers

(January, 2010)

General

Question: I usually get a raise the first month of the year, but this year my Social Security check was the same. Did you forget to make the adjustment?

Answer: No. For 2010, there is no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). With consumer prices down over the past year, monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are not automatically going up. By law, benefits go up only if there is an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers from the third quarter of the last year to the third quarter of the current year. To learn more, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

Question: What is the census and why is it necessary? Will someone be coming to our house to count us?

Answer: The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census of the population be conducted every 10 years, and the next Census Day is April 1, 2010. You can expect to receive your census form and a return envelope in the mail between March 15 and March 17 in areas where the U.S. Postal Service delivers forms for the Census Bureau. If you mail back the completed form, you probably won't need a personal visit from a census worker. The census is more than just counting people. Census results determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and help determine the allocation of federal funds for such things as school lunch programs, senior citizen centers, highway construction, and hospitals. More important, every year, the federal government distributes more than $400 billion to local, state, and tribal governments based on census data. To learn more, visit www.2010census.gov.

Retirement

Question: My cousin and I are both retired and get Social Security. We worked for the same employer for years, but he gets a higher Social Security benefit. Why is that?

Answer: Your payments are based on your earnings over your lifetime—generally your highest 35 years. In order to get the same benefit as your cousin, you and he must have had identical earnings, be the same age, and retire at the same time. To learn more about Social Security retirement benefits, visit www.socialsecurity.gov and select the "Retirement" link.

Disability

Question: I'm 49 years old and have had two heart surgeries. I'm recuperating now and plan to go back to work in another year or so. But I'm worried I may not be able to. Should I go ahead and apply for disability benefits?

Answer: Yes. If you have a disabling condition that keeps you from working and is expected to last a year or more, you should apply for benefits now. You can learn more and get started online by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/disability. Or you can get the ball rolling by calling 1.800.772.1213 (TTY 1.800.325.0778). Apply as soon as you can because disability claims can take several months to process. Be prepared to give us the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the doctors, clinics, hospitals, etc., where you received treatment. Make a list of all the medications you take, and make a separate list of all the jobs you've held in the last 15 years, together with a summary of your job duties.

Question: My 4-year old girl is autistic. Another parent at her daycare told me that she might be eligible for disability benefits from Social Security. My husband and I both work full time and pay Social Security taxes. Could she really qualify?

Answer: If you and your husband are both working, then probably not. The only way your daughter would qualify for Social Security now is as a dependent on your or your husband's Social Security record. In other words, one of you would have to be getting Social Security retirement or disability benefits before she could be eligible. We do run another program that pays disability benefits for children. It’s called Supplemental Security Income (SSI). But it's a program for people with limited income and resources. So if your family is having a hard time making ends meet, your daughter might qualify for a monthly SSI payment. And if she gets SSI, she might also get Medicaid coverage. Learn more by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov and selecting the "Supplemental Security Income" link.

Supplemental Security Income

Question: What's the difference between "SSID" and "SSDI"?

Answer: SSID, or SSI, is the way some people refer to "Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability" benefits. SSI disability benefits are paid to people who have limited incomes and resources. SSDI is the way some people refer to "Social Security disability insurance benefits." Social Security disability benefits go to people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a long enough time to be covered for Social Security. Some people qualify for both "SSI" and "SSDI" if their Social Security benefit is low enough for them to receive SSI. To learn more about Social Security and SSI, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

Question: I get both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. I recently was switched from a benefit based on my own earnings to a higher widow's benefit on my husband’s work record. But then my SSI check was reduced. Why did you give me money with one hand and take it away with the other?

Answer: SSI is a needs-based program. In other words, the amount of your SSI is based, in part, on your income and resources. So if your income goes up and your financial need decreases, your SSI payment also will decrease. When you started getting the higher widow's benefit from Social Security, your other income went up, so your SSI payment had to go down. For more information, you can visit our webpage about SSI at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi. Or you can call Social Security’s toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the publication, Supplemental Security Income.

Medicare

Question: I didn't enroll in Medicare Part B back when my Part A started a few years ago. Can I enroll now?

Answer: Yes—but if you want to do it this year, you’ll have to act soon. The general enrollment period for Medicare Part B medical insurance began January 1 and runs through March 31. Keep in mind that although Part A is free, there will be a premium for your Part B. And in most cases, that premium goes up each 12-month period you were eligible for it and elected not to enroll. To find out more about Medicare, visit the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov or see Social Security's online page of resources by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov and selecting the "Medicare" link.

Ginny Jordan is a Public Affairs Specialist for the Social Security Administration. Her weekly column on all things Social Security appears in the Sunday Edition of the Sun-Sentinel.

Ginny has agreed to let us reprint her articles here for your convenience.

Thank you Ginny!