Retirement Benefits - Social Security

Retirement Benefits Contacting Social Security Visit our website Our website, www.socialsecurity.gov, is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security’s programs. At our website you also can: • Apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits; • Review your Social Security Statement; • Get the address of your local Social Security office; • Request a replacement Medicare card; and • Find copies of our publications. Call our toll-free number In addition to using our website, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. We treat all calls confidentially. We can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Generally, you’ll have a shorter wait time if you call during the week after Tuesday. We can provide

information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls. What’s Inside Social Security and your retirement plans . . . . .4 Your retirement benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Family benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 What you need to know when you are eligible for retirement benefits . . . . . . . . . .11 A word about Medicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 4 Social Security and your retirement plans Social Security is part of the retirement plan of almost every American worker. If you are among the 96 percent of workers who are covered under Social Security, you should know how the system works and what you should receive from Social Security when you retire. This booklet explains how you qualify for Social Security benefits, how your earnings and age can affect your benefits, what you should think about in deciding when to retire and why you should not rely only on Social Security for your retirement income. This booklet provides basic information on Social Security retirement benefits and is not intended to answer all questions. For specific information about your situation, you should talk with a Social Security representative. Your retirement benefits How do you qualify for retirement benefits? When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits. The number of credits you need to get retirement benefits depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work). If you stop working before you have enough credits to qualify for benefits, the credits will remain on your Social Security record. If you return to work later on, you can add more credits so that you qualify. We cannot pay any retirement benefits until you have the required number of credits. 5 How much will...

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