How to Handle Social Security Customer Service Problems
Know your options for getting issues related to your Social Security checks resolved.
If you have questions about your Social Security payments, you might need to contact the Social Security Administration for help. You may be able to troubleshoot some problems online, but other issues might require a phone call or a visit to a Social Security office.
To get your Social Security questions answered, you can:
Research online to find answers.
Use the Social Security website.
Call the Social Security Administration.
Make an appointment.
Consider an in-person meeting.
Follow these steps to get your Social Security problems addressed in a timely fashion.
Research Social Security Questions Online
The government website for Social Security is ssa.gov. “Prior to reaching out to the Social Security Administration, do as much research as you can on your own,” says Chuck Czajka, a certified Social Security claiming strategist and founder of Macro Money Concepts in Stuart, Florida. The Social Security website has information and calculators you can use, and AARP also has an online resource center that focuses on Social Security.
Social Security Issues You Can Solve Online
In recent years, many Social Security services have shifted online. You can now accomplish a variety of routine Social Security tasks online, including:
Create a free my Social Security account.
Apply for benefits.
Check the status of your application.
Estimate your retirement benefits.
Review your Social Security statement and earnings history.
Change your address.
Set up or change how your payments are made.
Print proof of your benefits.
Print your 1099 tax form.
Request a replacement Social Security card.
These services include instructions to guide you through the steps involved. A good starting point is to “sign up, free of charge, for your own personal account at ssa.gov,” says Lamar Brabham, CEO and founder of Noel Taylor Agency Financial Services in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “It’s easy and will allow you to sign up for Social Security benefits, order a new card and access the Q&A section of the site for frequently asked questions.”
Social Security Administration Establishing National Native American Office
Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi announced that the Social Security Administration (SSA) established an Office of Native American Partnerships within the Office of the Commissioner.
New Office to Advocate for Tribes
This office will elevate and centralize efforts to administer comprehensive programs and policies related to American Indians and Alaska Natives. It will enhance the agency’s relationship with Tribes and serve as the primary point of contact on Tribal affairs for all stakeholders.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to reducing barriers to ensure people who are eligible for our benefits receive them,” Acting Commissioner Kijakazi said. “Establishing our new Office of Native American Partnerships strengthens that commitment by providing Tribal communities more representation and a strong advocate, messenger, and facilitator within Social Security’s Office of the Commissioner.”
The Office of Native American Partnerships will be responsible for many functions to assist Tribal communities throughout the country. It will seek to improve services to communities by engaging in meaningful national and regional policy consultations, roundtable discussions, and seminars with Tribal and Federal experts. It will also coordinate internal agency Native American efforts, increase external program awareness to the Tribal community, help to recruit a diverse candidate pool for hiring at all levels of Social Security, and serve as the primary point of contact for Tribal Government Offices to foster transparency and collaboration. Additionally, the office will conduct ongoing data collection and analysis to improve outreach to Tribal communities.
Establishing the Office of Native American Partnerships supports President Biden’s 2021 Executive Order (EO) 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, as well as other Federal guidance on coordination and collaboration with Tribal Governments.
To learn more, please visit our American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN) page.
Accused killer of US insurance CEO pleads not guilty to ‘terrorist’ murder
The man accused of gunning down a health insurance executive in a brazen hit in New York that sparked fierce debate about the industry pleaded not guilty Monday to state charges including “terrorist” murder.
Luigi Mangione wore a white shirt, burgundy sweatshirt and was shackled during his appearance in a Manhattan court where he was flanked by police officers.
Monday’s hearing came after Mangione, 26, appeared in a New York court last week to face federal charges also including murder following his dramatic extradition by plane and helicopter from Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald’s restaurant.
The suspect is charged in both state and federal court in the December 4 shooting of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson.
Thompson’s murder brought to the surface deep public frustration with the expensive and opaque US medical insurance system, with many social media users painting Mangione as a hero.
People demonstrating against the industry gathered outside court Monday brandishing banners reading “free Luigi” and “innocent until proven guilty.”
If convicted in the state case, Mangione could face life imprisonment with no parole. In the federal case, he could technically face the death penalty.
Mangioni’s attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo has previously sought clarity on how simultaneous federal and state charges would work, calling the situation “highly unusual.”
– ‘Political fodder’ –
Agnifilo raised concerns on Monday that Mangione could not receive a fair trial, and questioned why New York mayor Eric Adams had been present when Mangione was brought off a police helicopter at a Manhattan helipad last week.
Aginifilo told local media Monday that officials “are treating him like he is like some sort of political fodder.”
She said the sight of Mangione flanked by rifle-wielding tactical officers during the final stage of his extradition that was widely broadcast was “utterly political.”
Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9 following a tip from staff at a McDonald’s restaurant, after a days-long manhunt.
He had traveled to New York by bus from Atlanta about 10 days before the crime, the Department of Justice said.
After checking into a Manhattan hostel with false identification, he allegedly performed reconnaissance near the victim’s hotel and the conference venue where the shooting took place.
Early on December 4, Mangione allegedly tracked Thompson, walked up behind him and fired several gunshots from a pistol with a silencer, prosecutors allege. Afterward, he fled on a bicycle.
Police say a “life-changing, life-altering” back injury may have motivated Mangione, although there was no indication he was ever a client of UnitedHealthcare.
When he was arrested, Mangione had a three-page handwritten text criticizing the US health care system, authorities have said.
Reports that the casings of the bullets fired at Thompson had “depose, deny, delay” inscribed on them prompted stories on social media about health insurers who allegedly used those terms to get out of covering medical care.
Such disputes are among the grievances that many have with a health system criticized for mysterious billing practices, profit-seeking middlemen, confusing jargon and costly drugs.