By Brenda Brown
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist, Fayetteville
Summer is here and millions of vacationers are packing their bags to visit a new locale and soak up some sunshine. You might be traveling quite a ways. You are used to staying connected to important information like your bank accounts and social networks, especially on the go. Social Security is there in the same way — easily accessible when you are away from your home or office.
When you are going on vacation and want to be sure your Social Security benefits arrive, use my Social Security. When you open a personal and secure my Social Security account, you can access it on your terms. We put you in control of your financial future.
A my Social Security account is important whether you receive benefits from Social Security or not. You can:
** Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card if you meet certain requirements;
** Check the status of your application or appeal;
** Get your Social Security Statement; or
** Get a benefit verification letter stating that:
— You receive retirement, disability, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Medicare benefits; or
— You never received Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare; or
— You received benefits in the past, but do not currently receive them. (The letter will include the date your benefits stopped and how much you received that year.); or
— You have applied for benefits but have not received an answer yet.
There’s also more you can do with your my Social Security account. We are always adding new features and resources to make your life easier and give you greater control over your benefits. Placing the “Application Status” feature behind the my Social Security portal provides a secure service delivery channel that allows us to provide detailed status information about your claim without requiring a confirmation number.
With the new Application Status, you can see:
** the Re-entry number for in-progress online applications;
** detailed information about the current status of the application or appeal;
** the location where your claim is being processed; and
** scheduled hearing information for appeals.
Whether you are vacationing or on a staycation, your Social Security online services are at your fingertips. With an easy-to- access my Social Security account, you can use our multiple online services while barefoot on the beach. How convenient is that? You do not even have to put your lemonade down at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
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