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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY Davenport, Iowa Office

By Karen Cole
Social Security District Manager
Davenport, Iowa

Congressional Budget Cuts Force Reduced Public Hours

Effective August 15, 2011, the Davenport, Iowa Social Security office will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – a reduction of 30 minutes each weekday.

While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face service with the visiting public without incurring the cost of overtime. Congress provided Social Security with nearly $1 billion less than the President requested for the budget this fiscal year, which makes it impossible for the agency to provide the amount of overtime needed to handle service to the public as we have in the past.

Most Social Security services do not require a visit to an office. For example, anyone wishing to apply for benefits, sign up for direct deposit, replace a Medicare card, obtain a proof of income letter or inform us of a change of address or telephone number may do so at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL CHECKLIST: SUPPLIES, CLOTHES, SOCIAL SECURITY FORM

If your son or daughter is a high school student turning 18, you’ve probably spent some time shopping for school supplies and the latest fashions, working out the schedule for the academic year, maybe even looking into colleges.

If your young senior is collecting monthly Social Security benefits, here’s one more thing to add to your “Back-to-School” checklist.

To make sure that Social Security benefits continue beyond age 18, eligible students must obtain certification from school officials that they are still in high school and provide it to Social Security. Otherwise, monthly Social Security benefits automatically stop when a student turns 18.

For more information about Social Security student benefits, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/schoolofficials. The website outlines how the process works with instructions on what the student and school official must do to ensure that benefits continue past the student’s 18th birthday. With the appropriate certification, Social Security generally does not stop benefits until the month before the month the student turns 19, or the first month in which he or she is not a full-time high school student, whichever is earlier.

Some students receive Social Security survivors benefits because a parent is deceased. Others may get dependent benefits because their parent receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits. Benefits for minor children generally continue until age 18 — or 19 if they’re still in high school. The only exception to this rule is if a student is disabled and eligible for childhood disability benefits. In that case, a separate application for benefits is required.

Social Security’s website also includes:

• a downloadable version of the required Student’s Statement Regarding School Attendance (Form SSA-1372) that must be completed by the student, certified by the school, and returned to Social Security;
• answers to frequently asked questions for school officials and students; and
• a field office locator to find the address of your local Social Security office.

So as you’re buying school supplies, trying out back-to-school fashions, and figuring out when the holiday break begins, don’t forget the important step of visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/schoolofficials.

THE SAFETY NET FOR AGED, BLIND, DISABLED PEOPLE WITH LIMITED INCOME AND RESOURCES

There’s a safety net out there for those who might otherwise slip through the cracks. It’s called Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Administered by Social Security, SSI makes payments to people with limited income and few resources who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a disability.

Funding for the SSI program comes from the general revenues of the U.S. Treasury, not from Social Security payroll taxes. When we consider people’s income, we count things such as wages, Social Security benefits and pensions. However, Social Security does not count all of your income when it decides whether you qualify for SSI. For example, we don’t count food stamps or most home energy assistance. Resources we count in deciding whether you qualify for SSI include real estate (other than the home you live in), bank accounts, cash, stocks, and bonds. A person with resources worth no more than $2,000 may be able to get SSI. That resource limit is $3,000 for couples.

To qualify for SSI, you must live in the United States or the Northern Mariana Islands and be a U.S. citizen or national. In rare cases, noncitizen residents can qualify for SSI. If you live in certain types of institutions or live in a shelter for the homeless, you may qualify for SSI.

People with blindness or disability who apply for SSI may be able to get free special services to help them work. These services may include counseling, job training, and help finding work.

The monthly maximum Federal SSI payment is the same nationwide and amounts to $674 for a person and $1,011 for a married couple. However, the amount you receive depends on factors such as where you live, your living arrangements, and income. Some states also supplement or add money to the Federal payment.

To learn more about SSI, read the online publication, You May Be Able To Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11069.html or visit the SSI page at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi. Or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY, 1-800-325-0778).

If you’re too disabled to work but haven’t paid enough into Social Security to qualify for benefits on your record, SSI may be the program to help you.