50+ Lifestyles

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

Rock Island, Illinois Office

By Cristina Vital
Social Security Manager
Rock Island Social Security Office

FOLLOW THE GROUNDHOG’S EXAMPLE: STAY INDOORS

Every year, on February 2, we wait to see if Punxsutawney Phil, the world’s most famous groundhog, will predict six more weeks of winter. Huge crowds have waited for Phil’s prediction each year since 1886. For Phil, seeing his shadow predicts six more weeks of winter-like weather. More often than not, he sees his shadow and goes back inside.

You, too, can remain out of the cold, and save time and money at the same time, by using our secure online service, my Social Security, to conduct Social Security-related business from the warmth of your own comfortable home.

When you create a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, you can:

• Keep track of your earnings and verify them every year
• Get an estimate of your future benefits if you’re still working
• Get an instant letter with proof of your benefits if you currently receive them; and
• Manage your benefits.

Setting up your account is quick, secure, and easy. Set it up during the cold weather, while you’re waiting for spring.

Punxsutawney Phil usually predicts more wintery weather, and according to the Groundhog Day event organizers, he is accurate 75 to 90 percent of the time. And let’s face it, spring doesn’t really start for seven weeks after Phil’s time in the spotlight each year.

Whatever the weather, you can expect to be more comfortable than Punxsutawney Phil by using my Social Security. Follow the groundhog’s example and stay inside! From the warmth and comfort of your own home, visit www.socialsecurity.gov to learn about all the services we provide online.

WEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVE

February is the month when we celebrate love and friendship. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has also declared February as American Heart Month to bring awareness to the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States: heart disease.

We encourage you to wear red all month to promote cardiovascular disease prevention.

Just as the heart is vital to our emotional and physical well-being, Social Security disability benefits are often a vital lifeline for people who are unable to work due to severe disabilities— whether heart-related or not.

hoThere are numerous ways to protect our hearts, including eating well, exercising, and not smoking. We get checkups, and make sure to keep our cholesterol down.

However, sometimes these measures aren’t enough. In fact, disability will affect one in four of today’s 20 year-olds before reaching retirement age. The Social Security disability program excels in providing financial help to people when they need it most—help they earned by paying Social Security taxes on their earnings or as dependents of someone who paid Social Security taxes.

Social Security pays benefits to covered people who can’t work and whose medical condition meets the strict definition of disability under the Social Security Act. A person is considered disabled under this definition if he or she cannot work due to a severe medical condition that has lasted or is expected to last at least one year or result in death. The person’s medical condition must prevent him or her from doing work that he or she did in the past, and it must prevent the person from adjusting to other work based on their age, education, and experience. You can find all the information you need about eligibility and benefits available to you by reading our publication, Disability Benefits, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

If you are disabled, and think you are eligible to receive disability benefits, you will need to complete an application for Social Security benefits. It’s easy to apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov/disability. We also invite you to visit our Faces and Facts of Disability website to watch and read stories about people who have truly benefited from Social Security’s disability program and to get the facts about this very important program. Helping people is at the heart of what we do. You can learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityfacts. During American Heart Month, go ahead and wear your heart on your sleeve. Go red, and go to www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityfacts.