December 27, 2018

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

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

SOCIAL SECURITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES

Running a small business isn’t just a fulltime job — it can be a 24-7 endeavor. Managing employees, inventory, scheduling, and services, not to mention marketing, can be exhausting. Social Security can make your life easier with our suite of services that allows you to file W-2/W-2Cs online and verify your employees’ names and Social Security numbers against our records.

If you run a business, make us your first stop for information on W-2s, electronic filing and verifying Social Security numbers at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer to save time. This service offers fast, free, and secure online W-2 filing options to CPAs, accountants, enrolled agents, and individuals who process W-2s (the Wage and Tax Statement) and W-2Cs (Statement of Corrected Income and Tax Amounts).

You must register to use this service. This publication will give you more information about electronic wage reporting www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10034.pdf. Small business owners can also take advantage of our Business Services Online at www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm.

Let Social Security help you achieve these business goals.

WHO TO CONTACT: SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICARE?

Sometimes it’s confusing to know who to contact and for what. Social Security and Medicare offer related services, so people aren’t always certain who does what. This “cheat sheet” can help.

Contact Social Security to:

  • See if you’re eligible for Medicare;
  • Create a my Social Security account to do things like request a replacement Medicare card and report a change of address, name, or phone number;
  • Sign up for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance);
  • Apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) costs;
  • Report a death; and
  • Appeal an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) decision (for people who pay a higher Part B and/or Part D premium if their income is over a certain amount).

Find information on how to do all of this and more at www.socialsecurity.gov and www.socialsecurity.gov/benefits/medicare.

Contact Medicare to:

  • See what services Medicare covers;
  • Get detailed information about Medicare health and prescription drug plans in your area, including costs and services;
  • Choose and enroll in a Medicare health or prescription drug plan that meets your needs;
  • Find a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy in your area;
  • Find doctors, health care providers, and suppliers who participate in Medicare;
  • Get information and forms for filing a Medicare appeal or for letting someone speak with Medicare on your behalf;
  • Compare the quality of care provided by plans, nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, and dialysis facilities; and
  • View Medicare publications.

Visit www.medicare.gov for these services.

If you need to find out your claim status, find out deductibles, or get answers to premium payment questions, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY: 1-877-486-2048).

Determining who to contact is the first step in getting the answers you need. Please share these lists with family and friends who need to know more about Social Security and Medicare.

RETIRE ONLINE WITH SOCIAL SECURITY, QUICKLY AND EASILY

The idea of applying for Social Security retirement benefits might seem daunting, but it’s not. There’s no need to visit an office. You don’t have to use the phone. We have an online retirement application that you can complete in as little as 15 minutes and from the comfort of your home or office. In most cases, once your application is submitted electronically, you’re done. There are no forms to sign and usually no documentation is required. Social Security will process your application and contact you if any further information is needed.

It’s as simple as that. You can start your application now at www.socialsecurity.gov/benefits/retirement.

  • You can apply online for retirement benefits or benefits as a spouse if you:
  • are at least 61 years and 9 months old;
  • are not currently receiving benefits on your own Social Security record;
  • have not already applied for retirement benefits; and
  • want your benefits to start no more than 4 months in the future. (We cannot process your application if you apply for benefits more than 4 months in advance.)

You’ll have to create or sign into your my Social Security account as part of your application. If you don’t have an account yet, this is a perfect time to create one. Just as important, this is where you will be able to check your application for benefits. Like our other online services, my Social Security is available on your time and there’s no waiting in line or on the phone. You can see your entire work history going back to your first job to make sure we have all of your wages correctly tallied. Create or sign into your account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Are you curious about how much your retirement benefits will be? You can get an idea of what your benefits will be using our Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html.

Social Security provides services for millions of people, but we also want to make your experience with us as simple and easy as possible. Our many online services, including retiring online, are part of that mission. You can access more at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

Filed Under: Retirement

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