50+ Lifestyles

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

By Pam Shaw
Social Security District Manager
Davenport Social Security Office
(855) 420-8556   Mon.-Fri. 9 am – 4 PM

QUESTION AND ANSWER

Question:

I’m expecting a baby this June. What do I need to do to get a Social Security number (SSN) for my baby?

Answer:

The easiest way to apply for a number for your newborn is at the hospital when you apply for your baby’s birth certificate. The state agency that issues birth certificates will share your child’s information with us and we will assign a number and mail the Social Security card to you. You can learn more about the SSN and card by reading our online publication.

Social Security Numbers for Children, available at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10023.pdf.

Question:

My cousin and I are both retired and get Social Security. We worked for the same employer for years, but he gets a higher Social Security benefit. Why is that?

Answer:

Your payments are based on your earnings over your lifetime. Unless you are both the same age, started and stopped work on the exact same dates, and earned the very same amount every year of your careers, you wouldn’t get the same benefit as your cousin. Social Security benefits are based on many years of earnings—generally your highest 35 years. To learn more about Social Security retirement benefits, visit www.ssa.gov/retirement.

Question:

Will my monthly Social Security retirement benefit increase if I work after retirement?

Answer:

Each year, we review the records for all working Social Security beneficiaries to see if additional earnings may increase their monthly benefit amounts. If an increase is due, we calculate a new benefit amount and pay the increase retroactive to January following the year of earnings. For more information, read our online publication, How Work Affects Your Benefits, at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10069.pdf.

Question:

I’m retired and the only income I have is a monthly withdrawal from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Are the IRA withdrawals considered “earnings?” Could they reduce my monthly Social Security benefits?

Answer:

We count only the wages you earn from a job or your net profit if you’re self-employed. Nonwork income such as pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains, and other government benefits are not counted and will not affect your Social Security benefits. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Question:

What is “substantial gainful activity” (SGA)?

Answer:

We use the term “substantial gainful activity,” or “SGA,” to describe a level of work activity and earnings. Work is “substantial” if it involves doing significant physical or mental activities or a combination of both.

If you earn more than a certain amount and are doing productive work, we generally consider you to be engaging in SGA. For example, the monthly SGA amount for 2025 is $1,620. For a statutorily blind person, that amount is $2,700. In these cases, you would not be eligible for disability benefits if you made more than those amounts. You can read more about substantial gainful activity and determine if your earnings are considered as SGA at www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html.

Question:

I am applying for disability benefits. Why do I have to answer questions about my previous job and education?

Answer:

The Disability Determination Services, or DDS, uses information related to your prior work and education levels to supplement the medical information. This helps DDS to determine how your conditions relate to your past relevant work. For more information on the disability process, visit www.ssa.gov/disability.