The Social Security Administration (SSA) has hundreds of field offices located throughout the country. The field offices offer a wide variety of SSA services. As stated on the SSA’s website, services at field offices can include applying for new or replacement Social Security cards, updating benefit information, and applying for benefits for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income.

It is important to be mindful that the offices may be crowded and wait times may be long during this time period of moving back to in-person appointments. The SSA is expecting a great influx of people walking into the field offices and scheduling appointments. The field offices will be accepting visitors who do not make an appointment before. However, it is recommended to make an appointment before arriving in order to decrease wait times. Online services will still be offered in addition to the field offices reopening. The Social Security Administration will still be accepting phone calls and providing services on their website.

More information, such as how to make an appointment and available services offered by the SSA, can be found on the Social Security Administration’s website at www.ssa.gov. If you or someone you know is looking to receive Social Security Disability benefits, our Social Security Disability attorneys are available to help. Our office understands the difficulty in applying for benefits while injured. We can be contacted 24/7 at 800-518-4LAW(529).

The commissioner of Social Security, Andrew Saul, claims that eCBSV “is an important online service that helps us provide participants and their customers with fast, secure and more efficient SSN verifications”. He also stated that the “new electronic SSN verification service helps reduce synthetic identity fraud by comparing agency records with data provided electronically by approved participants”. In other words, the eCBSC will become a safer and more convenient way to verify important personal information of Social Security members, including their Social Security number, name, and birth date. This method will be able to correctly identify and match an individual’s personal information with their Social Security records.

In order to use the electronic system, the Social Security Administration states that Social Security will require the person to provide written consent, which will disclose their Social Security number verification to their participating company. The SSA writes on their website that eCBVS will then return a matching verification of either “Yes” or “No”. They also note that the electronic verification will not verify someone’s identify. Eligibility requirements for the electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service are listed on the SSA’s website. They require that qualified companies are permitted entities and that they have an implemented employer identification number (EIN). An EIN identifies a business entity, and it is sometimes referred to as a Social Security number for businesses. Financial companies can provide eCBVS in partnership with Social Security, or they can select another source, such as a service provider, to conduct the transactions through the business.

As listed by the Social Security Administration, there are multiple companies that are currently participating in this electronic system. Since October 25, 2019, ten companies have been selected by the SSA to permit eCBVS. Some of the companies include financial institutions, such as Navy Federal Credit Union, University Bank, Discover Financial Services, and Synchrony Financial. In addition, eCBVS will also include service providers, subsidiaries, affiliates, agents, subcontractors, or assignees of financial institutions, which are also listed on the SSA’s website. They include SentiLink Corp., ID Analytics, LLC, Computer Information Development, LLC, Early Warning Services, LLC, Capital One Services, LLC, and Experian Information Solutions, Inc. As previously mentioned, the SSA plans to expand their program to more participants and customers in 2021. As a result, more financial companies may join this list to provide eCBVS.

Currently, the electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service is available for its initial rollout. The Social Security Administration only authorized the initial rollout to ten institutions. The SSA will provide eCBVS to limited customers until 2021, which they plan to extend the program in order to be available to more people. Additional information about the electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service (eCBVS) is available on the SSA’s website.

There will be a 1.3% cost-of-living adjustment.

Beginning in January, the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be set at 1.3 percent. Social Security states that cost-of-living adjustments allow Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to keep pace with inflation. The Social Security Administration determines a formula to calculate COLAs. According to AARP, the monthly Social Security benefits will increase by $20 for the majority of retired workers. As a result, the average annual benefit will be approximately $1,543. Previously, the annual amount was estimated to be $1,523 in 2020. In addition, retired couples and disabled workers will also receive an increase in COLA. Retired couples can potentially receive an increase of $33, and disabled workers can receive an increase of $16. Overall, the greatest monthly payment that people can receive from Social Security would be $3,148, which is an increase from $3,011 in 2020.

A higher wage cap will be applied for Social Security taxes.

Social Security is funded by collecting payroll taxes. Based on wages, the tax is predetermined at 12.4 percent. AARP explains that employees pay 6.2% towards payroll taxes, and employers pay 6.2%. Self-employed workers are required to pay the full tax at 12.4%. Annually, the absolute amount of earnings required to pay towards the payroll tax increases. Each year, there is a specific maximum amount of wages that indicates how much workers must pay towards taxes. In 2021, wages up to $142,800 will pay for Social Security taxes. In 2020, the wage threshold was $137,700. If workers earn more than $142,800 a year, they will not have to pay for Social Security taxes in 2021.

The earnings test limit will be higher.

When workers decide to retire and collect benefits before their full retirement age, they will be subject to receive reduced benefits for a specific amount of time. This process is called the retirement earnings test. In this scenario, Social Security with withhold payments if earnings exceed more than a certain limit. In 2020, people under their full retirement age were able to have $1 withheld by Social Security per every $2 they earn from earning more than $18, 240 a year. In 2021, payments will be set at $18, 960 a year or $1,580 monthly. Also, the Social Security Administration (SSA) with withhold $1 for every $3 a worker earns. In the month that a person reaches their full retirement age, Social Security will stop withholding benefits and increased monthly payments to return the previous withholdings.

A person needs to be disabled for a year before they can apply for disability benefits.

This myth is not true. The SSA lists in their Blue Book that a person qualifies for benefits if they have a disability as a result of an injury or illness that is predicted to endure for at least 12 months. If an employee is diagnosed by a medical official that states their injury will last for over a year and they will be unable to work, they should apply for Social Security Disability as soon as possible.

Workers must be close to retirement age to receive disability benefits.

Social Security provides benefits to people who are unable to work as a result of a disability. This does not only apply to people who are near their retirement age. It is important to know that Social Security benefits are based on a person’s average lifetime earnings before their disability occurred. It is likely that a person who worked a long time and made a plentiful amount of earnings throughout their career will receive a larger amount of benefit payments.

A person cannot receive Workers’ Compensation and Disability benefits simultaneously.

It is possible to receive both benefits. For example, if a disability or impairment occurred as a result an injury or illness from work, an individual can receive Workers’ Compensation. This may cause Disability benefits to be decreased in an offset, but the Claimant still typically ends up in a better financial situation. However, people can continue to receive both benefit payments.

If a medical official diagnoses a person with disablement or impairment, they will qualify for benefits.

The Social Security Administration ultimately makes the final decision on whether a person will receive benefits. An official diagnosis by a licensed medical worker will help the SSA make a decision. It may not automatically confirm that a person will receive benefits, but it will influence the SSA to deny or accept a claim.

If a medical condition or disability is not directly listed in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book, people will not be able to receive benefits.

The Blue Book does not directly state every disability that people may have. Any impairment or disability that affects the ability of someone to work properly may qualify them to receive benefits. Once a person files a claim, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine whether the disability will qualify for benefits.

SSI and SSDI are the same program.

It is true that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) both provide benefits to people who are disabled or impaired. On the contrary, there are very distinct differences between the two programs. SSI provides benefits to people who are disabled and have little income. This allows people to pay for basic necessities, such as food and clothing. SSDI administers benefits to workers who are “insured.” As stated by the Social Security Administration, the term “insured” applies to people who have worked for a prolonged period of time and paid towards Social Security taxes on their earnings. A person needs a certain number of work credits to qualify for SSDI, while for SSI the person’s household income and assets are used to decide if they qualify. Both programs have the same medical standard.

The application process always takes months to years to complete.

It is common that an application for Social Security Disability may take many weeks or months to be accepted or denied. However, the time to hear a response can vary between 3 weeks to almost a year. It is difficult to predict a specific time because each Social Security Disability claim is taken into consideration differently. The remainder of the process, reconsideration, and appealing may take longer.

Every claim is denied the first time.

This statement is false. Although it is common that initial claims are more likely to be denied, not every claim is automatically denied the first time. If a claim is denied, it is possible to file an appeal. In this event, a claim can become accepted through appeal.

If an employee goes to work, they will instantly lose their Medicare, Medicaid, or Disability benefits.

This statement is not entirely true. Although, it is true that earning more than a specific amount will make a person ineligible for Disability benefits. Earning a specific amount of month during a certain period of time shows that the individual is able to work. If a person with a disability continues to work and makes below the specific amount, their Social Security Disability benefits will not be affected. Generally, workers will continue to receive benefits if their disabling condition or impairment continues to exist. If they make a large amount of earnings at their job, a person may not be eligible for either Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance. However, if workers remain eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, they will still be able to receive benefits.

It is impossible to claim Social Security Disability benefits if a person never worked.

There are certain circumstances in which people can be eligible to receive benefits for Social Security benefits if they never worked. Typically, benefits for Social Security Disability are determined based on an individual’s work history. In this scenario, unemployed people may be eligible to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is based on income and financial need.