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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

By Linda Clayton-Powell
Social Security District Manager
Davenport, Iowa

AS TAX DAY APPROACHES, GET YOUR BENEFIT STATEMENT ONLINE

Social Security is with you through life’s journey, putting you in control of your finances and future. With this in mind, we have made getting a replacement Social Security Benefit Statement even easier. Now you can instantly print or save a replacement any time you want. That is control!

The Benefit Statement, also known, as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form Social Security mails each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from Social Security in the previous year so you know how much Social Security income to report to the IRS on your tax return.

An SSA-1042S is for a noncitizen who lives outside the United States and received or repaid Social Security benefits last year.

If you currently live in the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, simply go online and get an instant, printable replacement form with a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

If you already have a my Social Security account, you can access your online account to view and print your SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S. If you do not have a my Social Security account, creating a secure account is very easy to do and usually takes less than 15 minutes.

Keep in mind, your Social Security benefits may be taxable. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/taxes.html if you have other substantial income.

Securing today and tomorrow does not have to be difficult, and Social Security continues to improve our customer service with easy-to-use online features. Find out more about what you can do online at www.socialsecurity.gov.

SOCIAL SECURITY IN PLAIN LANGUAGE — IT FEELS GOOD TO BE UNDERSTOOD

Social Security is with you throughout life’s journey. As in any relationship, communication is key to forging strong connections and fostering understanding. At Social Security, the way we communicate with you is important to us. We keep this in mind when we write each publication, blog entry, frequently asked question (FAQ), and press release.

The Center for Plain Language has issued its annual Federal Plain Language Report Card. The annual report grades federal agencies on how well they communicate with the public. Social Security scored a B-plus! We are proud of that grade, but we will not stop trying to improve it.

There’s only so much time in the day and we know you have a full “to do” list. We know you do not have time to read confusing government paperwork filled with jargon that requires dictionaries and internet searches to understand. You want to process what you read immediately and without the help of a thesaurus. We get you.

That is why our website is easy to access, convenient to navigate, and secure to use. Our FAQs at www.socialsecurity.gov/faq and publications at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs contain clear, accurate information that is easy to understand. Some publications are available in up to 17 languages, and they are written in the same clear, concise way as our English publications.
Nothing is more important to our agency than meeting the needs of those we serve. Social Security looks forward to continuing to secure today and tomorrow for you and your family.

REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE: HELP A LOVED ONE WITH SOCIAL SECURITY

According to the Census Bureau, there are nearly 57 million people living with disabilities in the United States. Thirty percent of American adults help provide care for a sick or disabled family member. Caregivers provide physical and emotional support for the people in their care. It is a demanding job with its stresses and rewards, but it can also be a labor of love.

Social Security is committed to you throughout life’s journey, helping secure today and tomorrow for every American. This is especially true for people who need help managing their benefits. We work closely with caregivers through our representative payee program. A representative payee is someone who receives and oversees the Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for anyone who cannot manage their benefits. This can be a child or an adult incapable of managing their own funds. You can learn more about our representative payee program at www.socialsecurity.gov/payee.

A representative payee is usually a trusted family member or friend of the beneficiary, but when friends or family are not able to serve as representative payees, Social Security looks for qualified individuals or organizations to represent the beneficiary. You can learn about becoming a representative payee by watching our new series of videos on the duties of a representative payee at www.socialsecurity.gov/payee.

It is our hope that these videos will not only educate individuals about the roles and responsibilities of being a representative payee, but also provide further insight, broaden community awareness, and provide key resources to deal with the growing incidents of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

Caregivers are valuable and irreplaceable assets to our great nation. Please join us in celebrating them for all they do for those who cannot do for themselves.