Social Security: 5 Services You Probably Didn’t Know It Offers
Social Security is the retirement safety net most of us hope we’ll be able to access starting as early as age 62, the earliest you can take income benefits. While it’s true that the bulk of Social Security’s programs are dedicated to retirement income, the agency does quite a bit more than that.
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For instance, they also administer survivor’s and disability benefits, acting as the go-between for your application for health insurance through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at age 65 and up. However, there are additional Social Security services that most people aren’t aware of.
Whether you are soon-to-be parents, have recently lost a loved one or are a retiree looking for help with prescription drug costs, Social Security offers a wide variety of benefits.
Read on to learn about five Social Security services you probably didn’t know existed.
Advance Designation
Did you know that you could designate up to three people to serve as your representative payee in the future? Advance designation requests can be submitted online through your mySocial Security account or by calling the administration. You can also submit a request in person.
A representative payee can manage your Social Security benefits if you’re unable. A huge benefit that few people realize is that they can designate the person now instead of waiting until the need arises. If Social Security denies your claim or you stop receiving benefits, your advance designation stays in their records for easy access if you ever reapply or file an appeal.
Lowering Prescription Drug Costs
Social Security administers the application for your health insurance through Medicare or Medicaid, though CMS is the organization that oversees your health insurance. Medicare helps to pay for hospital stays and medical costs, but some portions help with prescription drug costs.
With Social Security, you are generally enrolled in Medicare Part A and B (hospital and medical insurance). You may also be able to join the Medicare Advantage plan (formerly Medicare C) — which is health coverage provided by a Medicare-approved private company that follows the rules set by Medicare or Medicare Part D. The Medicare Advantage plan gives you all of the coverages associated with Part A and B, plus prescription drugs and other benefits such as vision, hearing and dental.
Medicare D helps cover the extraordinary costs of prescription drugs. Some people will also be eligible for “Extra Help,” which helps cover the costs of premiums, deductibles and more associated with Medicare Part D. Some individuals are automatically enrolled, while others have to apply to receive the benefit. Typically this is for people with limited income and resources.
Domestic Violence Assistance
Social Security can be a critical program of support for women who historically make significantly less than men over the course of their lifetime. One little-known service that Social Security provides women is related to domestic violence survivors.
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Though the Social Security Administration (SSA) will rarely assign a new Social Security number to an individual, they make exceptions when it comes to domestic violence victims. Women who have relocated to a new location and are “hoping to establish a new identity” can apply for a new SSN. You must show evidence of harassment, abuse or life endangerment and proof of US citizenship.
Free Interpreter Services
Recognizing the diverse needs of individuals applying for Social Security, the administration now offers free interpreter services in at least 18 languages in addition to English. An interpreter can be provided over the phone or in person at a local Social Security office.
Interpreter services are free, helping you “conduct your Social Security business.” The administration recently released a detailed language access plan to help “remove barriers to services and benefits for people with limited English proficiency.”
According to the plan, the administration offers service in over 200 languages through multilingual employees, phone interpreters and translator services.
Baby Names
One of the lesser-known Social Security services is help finding a baby name. Parents must submit their child’s name to the administration to receive a Social Security number for tax purposes. The result of these submissions is a wealth of data on the most popular baby names each year.
Expectant parents, eager to either fall in line with the latest name trends or stand out from the crowd, can view decades of information. You can even select popular names according to birth year, state or decade. For inquiring minds, the top boy names for 2023 were Liam, Noah and Oliver while the most popular girl names were Olivia, Emma and Charlotte. For comparison, John and Mary took top billing a century ago.
For More: Visit the SSA Government Website
Now that you know all of the added benefits and services you can get from Social Security, you can take a deep dive into all of the exciting things the SSA has to offer.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Social Security: 5 Services You Probably Didn’t Know It Offers
