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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Rock Island, Illinois Office

By Cristina Vital
Social Security Manager
Rock Island, Illinois Social Security Office

ONLINE SERVICES AND TELEPHONE REMAIN MOST CONVENIENT WAYS TO CONTACT AGENCY

“I am pleased to announce that local Social Security offices will restore in-person services, including for people without an appointment, on April 7, 2022.

To avoid waiting in line, I strongly encourage people, who can, to use our online services at www.socialsecurity.gov, call us, and schedule appointments in advance rather than walking in without an appointment.  Phone appointments can save you a trip to a busy office.  I thank the public for your patience as we work to increase service.

Customers who walk in without appointments may encounter delays and longer waits at our offices.  Be aware that our offices tend to be the busiest first thing in the morning, early in the week, and during the early part of the month, so people may want to plan to visit at other times.

Given that many of the people we serve have health vulnerabilities, and consistent with our union agreements, we are continuing to require certain safety measures including masking, physical distancing, and self-health checks for COVID-19 symptoms.  We will provide masks to the public and employees if they need them.

Thoughtful planning and preparation have shaped our process to restore in-person services.  Social Security employees are dedicated to serving the public, and we are ready to welcome the public back to our offices.  Our local managers understand and can address the needs of their communities.  We have also implemented office-to-office support as well as brought recently retired employees back to assist the public.  We thank the many interested stakeholders including the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living and national advocate organizations for your help.

Throughout the pandemic, millions of people have used our secure and convenient online services and received help by phone.  People who have access to the internet should first try our online services before calling us or visiting an office.

As we transition to a new modern phone system, some people may experience a busy signal or be unintentionally disconnected from their call. We sincerely regret this disruption and recommend people call when our National 800 Number may be less busy, such as before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. local time or later in the week.  Like our offices, our waits are generally shorter later in the month.

To learn more about local Social Securities services, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/coronavirus/gethelp/ and www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices/.”

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY SPOUSE’S BENEFITS?

Social Security benefits are a crucial part of millions of Americans’ retirement income.  If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.

To qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be one of the following:

• 62 years of age or older.
• Any age and have in your care a child younger than age 16, or who has a disability and is entitled to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.

Your full spouse’s benefit could be up to one-half the amount your spouse is entitled to receive at their full retirement age.  If you choose to receive your spouse’s benefits before you reach full retirement age, you will get a permanently reduced benefit.

If you wait until you reach full retirement age to receive benefits, you’ll receive your full spouse’s benefit amount, which is up to one-half the amount your spouse can receive.  You’ll also get your full spouse’s benefit if you are under full retirement age, but care for a child and one of the following applies:

• The child is younger than age 16.
• The child has a disability and is entitled to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.

If you’re eligible to receive retirement benefits on your own record, we will pay that amount first.  If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits that equal the higher spouse benefit.

For example, Sandy qualifies for a retirement benefit of $1,000 and a spouse’s benefit of $1,250.  At her full retirement age, she will receive her own $1,000 retirement benefit.  We will add $250 from her spouse’s benefit, for a total of $1,250.

Want to apply for either your or your spouse’s benefits? Are you at least 61 years and nine months old? If you answered yes to both, visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement to get started today.

Are you divorced from a marriage that lasted at least 10 years? You may be able to get benefits on your former spouse’s record. You can find out more by visiting www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html for more information.

Retirement Question:

I’ve decided I want to retire. Now what do I do?

Answer:

The fastest and easiest way to apply for retirement benefits is to go to www.ssa.gov/retireonline. Use our online application to apply for Social Security retirement or spouses benefits. To do so, you must:

• Be at least 61 years and 9 months old.
• Want to start your benefits in the next four months.
• Live in the United States or one of its commonwealths or territories.