En 05 10127
En 05 10127
Should Know
SSA.gov
What’s inside
What Social Security means to you 1
If you’re a caregiver 17
More information 21
1
Women tend to care for many people — spouses,
children, and parents. And, although they’ve made
significant strides, women are more likely to earn less
during their lifetimes than men. They’re less often covered
by private retirement plans and more dependent on
Social Security — and for a longer period of time since, on
average, women live about five years longer than men.
Social Security offers a basic level of protection to all
women covered by this program. When women work,
they pay taxes into the Social Security system, providing
for their own benefits. In addition, their spouses’ earnings
can give them Social Security coverage as well. Women
who don’t work are often covered through their spouses’
work. When their spouses retire, become disabled, or die,
women can receive benefits.
Over the years, the level of Social Security protection for
women has strengthened. For example, we raised the
amount of benefits for surviving and disabled spouses.
Economic protection for divorced women improved with
the removal of the requirement that the divorced wife be
dependent on her spouse. Also, the number of years the
couple must be married for the divorced spouse to qualify
for benefits decreased.
In addition to understanding the benefits to which they
may be entitled, women also need to be aware of other
aspects of the Social Security program. They need
to know about providing Social Security coverage for
anyone they may hire as a household worker or childcare
provider. And, they need to know some basics, such as
what to do if they change their names.
Social Security is a vital program, especially for women,
but it was never intended to cover all of their financial
needs. To live comfortably, everyone needs to plan
accordingly. Living within one’s means and saving for the
future are big parts of that plan.
2
Your Social Security record and number
If you are employed, your employer sends a copy of your
Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) to us every year.
We compare your name and Social Security number on
the W-2 form with the information in our files. We add the
earnings shown on the W-2 form to your Social Security
record.
It is critical that your name and Social Security number
on your Social Security card agree with your employer’s
payroll records and W-2 form so that we can credit
your earnings to your record. It is up to you to make
sure that both Social Security’s records and your
employer’s records are correct. If your Social Security
card is incorrect, contact any Social Security office to
make changes. Check your W-2 form to make sure
your employer’s record is correct. If it is not, give your
employer the accurate information.
By signing up for a my Social Security account, you can
verify that your earnings are correct.
3
You must show us proof of your legal name change.
Documents we may accept to prove a legal name change
include:
• Marriage document.
• Divorce decree.
• Certificate of Naturalization showing a new name.
• Court order for a name change.
Note: We must see the original document(s), or copies
certified by the agency that issued them. We cannot
accept photocopies or notarized copies.
If the document you provide as evidence of a legal name
change doesn’t give us enough information to identify you
in our records, or if you changed your name more than
two years ago (four years ago if you’re younger than age
18), you must show us an identity document in your old
name (as shown in our records). We’ll accept an identity
document in your old name that has expired.
If you don’t have an identity document in your old name,
we may accept an unexpired identity document in your
new name, as long as we can properly establish your
identity in our records.
If you’re a U.S. citizen born outside the United States,
and our records don’t show you’re a citizen, you’ll need
to provide proof of your U.S. citizenship. If you aren’t a
U.S. citizen, we will ask to see your current immigration
documents.
The new card will have the same number as your
previous card, but will show your new name.
4
disability and survivors insurance. In addition, when you
pay Medicare taxes, you’re earning Medicare protection
that can be available to you when you reach age 65, or
sooner if you have a qualifying disability.
Social Security benefits can include:
• Retirement benefits paid to retired workers as early as
age 62.
• Disability benefits paid to workers of all ages who have
a severe disability. In some cases, a young worker
may qualify for a disability benefit with as little as one
and one-half years of work.
• Family benefits paid to the spouse and children of
retired or disabled workers.
• Survivors benefits paid to the widow or widower and
children of a deceased worker. In some cases, the
family of a young deceased worker can receive these
benefits even if the worker had as few as one and one-
half years of work.
• Medicare, which helps with hospital bills and provides
limited coverage for skilled nursing facility stays
and hospice care. Medicare can also cover doctors’
services and prescription drugs.
5
You can also use your my Social Security account to get
a letter proving you don’t receive benefits, and to request
a replacement Social Security card. If you don’t have a
my Social Security account, create one at www.ssa.gov/
myaccount.
To find information about your full retirement age, benefit
calculators, and additional factors you may want to
consider, visit our Retirement Benefits portal.
6
earn more than the exempt amount, it won’t, on average,
decrease the total value of your lifetime benefits from
Social Security — and can increase them.
8
recent work requirement. If you need help figuring out how
much work you need to maintain your disability coverage,
call your local Social Security office.
We will consider you disabled if you can’t do the work
you did before and we decide you can’t adjust to other
work because of your medical condition(s). Your disability
also must last, or be expected to last, for at least a
year or to result in death. After you receive disability
payments for 24 consecutive months, you’ll also have
Medicare protection.
Military service members can receive expedited
processing of disability claims from Social Security.
Social Security benefits are different from those available
through the Department of Veterans Affairs and require
a separate application. We use an expedited process for
military service members who became disabled while
on active military service on or after October 1, 2001,
regardless of where the disability occurs.
For more information on disability programs, visit
www.ssa.gov/disability or read Disability Benefits
(Publication No. 05-10029).
For more information on disability benefits for wounded
warriors, visit www.ssa.gov/woundedwarriors or read
Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors
(Publication No. 05-10030).
9
To learn more about SSI, visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi
or read Supplemental Security Income
(Publication No. 05-11000).
To apply for SSI, you can begin the process and — in
some cases — complete most or all of your application
online by visiting our website at www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi.
You can also call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 to set up
an appointment with a representative from your local Social
Security office.
If you have a limited income and few resources, your state
can decide whether you qualify for help with Medicare
expenses under the Medicare savings programs. If you
think you may qualify, contact your state or local medical
assistance (Medicaid) agency, social services program, or
welfare office. Also, more information is available from the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Read
Get Help with Your Medicare Costs (CMS Publication
No. 10126) at www.medicare.gov/publications or ask
for it at the Medicare toll-free number, 1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227). If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you
may call TTY 1-877-486-2048.
You also may be able to get Extra Help paying for the
Medicare prescription drug program. Anyone who has
Medicare can get Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Extra Help is available for some people with limited income
and resources. This benefit will pay for all or most of the
monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription
copayments related to their plan. Many people with limited
income and resources qualify for these big savings and
don’t know it. To find out if you’re eligible, Social Security
will need to know your income and the value of your
savings, investments, and real estate (other than your
home). If you’re married and living with your spouse, we’ll
need this information for both of you.
10
Even if you don’t qualify for the Extra Help, you may
be able to help someone you care about apply for
Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug costs.
For more information, read Understanding the Extra
Help with Your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
(Publication No. 05-10508).
11
For example, we can pay benefits to your spouse:
• If your spouse is age 62 or older.
• At any age, if your spouse is caring for your child (the
child must be younger than age 16 or must be disabled
and receiving Social Security benefits on your record).
We also can pay benefits to your unmarried children
if they’re:
• Younger than age 18.
• Between age 18 and age 19, but in elementary or
secondary school as full-time students.
• Age 18 or older and severely disabled (the disability
must have started before age 22).
12
• Any age, if your surviving spouse is caring for your
child who is younger than age 16, or who is disabled
and receiving Social Security benefits on your record.
Your children can receive benefits, too, if they’re
unmarried and:
• Younger than age 18.
• Between age 18 and age 19, but in an elementary or
secondary school as full-time students.
• Age 18 or older and severely disabled (the disability
must have started before age 22).
Additionally, your parents can receive benefits on your
earnings if they were dependent on you for at least half of
their support.
If you had enough credits, we’ll also make a one-time
payment of $255 after your death. We may pay this
benefit to your surviving spouse or minor children if they
meet certain requirements.
For more information, read Survivors Benefits
(Publication No. 05-10084).
13
• Government Pension Offset (GPO) affects only the
Social Security benefits you could receive based on
your spouse’s earnings.
For more information about the WEP and GPO, or
to use the WEP and GPO online calculators, visit
www.ssa.gov/gpo-wep. Benefit calculators are also
available at www.ssa.gov/benefits/calculators. You also
can read Windfall Elimination Provision (Publication No.
05-10045) and Government Pension Offset (Publication
No. 05-10007).
14
If you become a widow
If your spouse dies, you can get widow’s benefits if you’re
age 60 or older. If you’re disabled, you can get widow’s
benefits as early as age 50. Your benefit amount will
depend on your age and on the amount your deceased
spouse was entitled to at the time of death. If your spouse
was receiving reduced benefits, your survivor benefit will
be based on that amount.
You may be eligible for widow’s benefits and Medicare
before age 65 if you are disabled and entitled to benefits.
You also may be eligible for widow’s benefits if you are
caring for a child who is younger than 16. If you remarry
before you reach age 60 (or age 50 if disabled), you can’t
receive widow’s benefits as long as that marriage remains
in effect. If you remarry after you reach age 60 (or age
50 if disabled), you’ll continue to receive benefits on your
deceased spouse’s Social Security record. However, if
your current spouse is a Social Security beneficiary, you
should apply for a spouse’s benefit if it would be larger
than your widow’s benefit. You can’t get both.
If you’re also entitled to retirement benefits based on your
own work, you have other options. Ask a Social Security
representative to explain the options, so you can decide
which would be best for you.
If you’re divorced
If you’ve never asked Social Security about receiving
benefits based on your ex-spouse’s work, you should.
Many women get a higher benefit based on their ex-
spouse’s work, especially if that spouse is deceased.
When you apply, you’ll need to give your spouse’s
Social Security number. If you don’t know your spouse’s
number, you’ll need to provide your spouse’s date and
place of birth and the names of your spouse’s parents.
15
The following requirements also apply to your divorced
spouse if your ex-spouse’s eligibility for benefits is based
on your work.
If your ex-spouse is living
If you’re divorced, you can receive benefits based on your
ex-spouse’s work if:
• Your marriage lasted 10 years or longer.
• You’re unmarried.
• You’re age 62 or older.
• The benefit you’re entitled to receive based on your
own work is less than the benefits you’d receive based
on your spouse’s work.
• Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security retirement
or disability benefits.
If your ex-spouse hasn’t applied for benefits, but can
qualify for them and is age 62 or older, you can receive
benefits on his or her work record if you’ve been divorced
for at least two years.
If your ex-spouse is deceased, you can
receive benefits
If you’re divorced, you can receive benefits based on your
deceased ex-spouse’s work if:
• At age 60, or age 50 if you are disabled, if your
marriage lasted at least 10 years, and you aren’t
entitled to a higher benefit on your own record.
• At any age if you’re caring for your ex-spouse’s child,
who also is your natural or legally adopted child and
younger than 16, or disabled and entitled to benefits.
Your benefits will continue until the child reaches age
16 or until the child is no longer disabled. You can
receive this benefit even though you weren’t married to
your ex-spouse for 10 years.
16
If you’re a caregiver
If you’re caring for an elderly or disabled relative who
needs help managing his or her monthly Social Security
or SSI benefits, you can apply to be their representative
payee. Social Security will conduct a careful investigation
to determine if you meet the requirements.
As a representative payee, we’ll pay you the person’s
benefits to use on his or her behalf. Therefore, you
must know what your relative’s needs are so you can
decide the best way to use the benefits for their personal
care and well-being. First, you must make sure that the
beneficiary has food and shelter. Then, you can use the
money to pay for the beneficiary’s medical and dental bills
that are not covered by health insurance and for personal
needs and recreation.
For more information about the representative payee
program, visit www.ssa.gov/payee. You also can read A
Guide for Representative Payees (Publication
No. 05-10076). If you’re caring for a child with disabilities,
read Benefits for Children with Disabilities (Publication
No. 05-10026).
Advance Designation
Advance Designation allows capable adult and
emancipated minor applicants and beneficiaries of Social
Security, SSI, and Special Veterans Benefits to choose
one or more individuals who could potentially serve as
their representative payee in the future, if the need arises.
To help protect what’s important to you, we offer the
option to choose a representative payee in advance. If
you are unable to manage or direct others to manage your
benefits in the future, you’ll have peace of mind knowing
that someone you trust, and have already chosen in
advance, may be appointed to manage your benefits.
17
You can submit an Advance Designation request online
with your personal my Social Security account, by
telephone, or in person.
18
Some special employment situations
Self-employed
Most people who pay into Social Security work for
an employer. Their employer deducts Social Security
taxes from their paycheck. The employer matches that
contribution, sends taxes to the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS), and reports wages to Social Security.
If you are self-employed, you must report your earnings
and pay your taxes directly to the IRS. The IRS
provides your self-employment earnings information to
Social Security. We update your earnings record with the
self-employment information we receive from the IRS.
You’re self-employed if you operate a trade, business, or
profession, either by yourself or as a partner. You report
your earnings for Social Security when you file your federal
income tax return. If your net earnings are $400 or more
in a year, you must report your earnings on Schedule SE
(Self-Employment Tax), in addition to the other tax forms
you must file.
If you and your spouse operate a business together, you’re
entitled to receive Social Security credits as a partner.
Be sure to file a separate Schedule SE, even though you
and your spouse file a joint income tax return. If you don’t
file a separate self-employment report, you won’t get
Social Security benefits from your own work, because all
of the earnings will be on your spouse’s record.
Household workers
Services performed by some household workers are
covered under Social Security, depending on how much
they earn. Household workers include babysitters, maids,
cooks, laundry workers, butlers, gardeners, chauffeurs,
and people who do housecleaning or repair work.
Services performed by household workers who are under
19
age 18 during any part of the year, and who don’t do
household work as a principal job, aren’t covered under
Social Security.
If you hire household workers, make sure you accurately
record their Social Security numbers, withhold Social
Security and Medicare taxes from their wages, pay the
required amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes,
and send the combined taxes to the IRS using your own
federal income tax return. You must report wage amounts
to Social Security, if they meet certain thresholds.
If you’re a household worker, make sure your employer is
paying Social Security taxes for you. You should receive a
Form W-2 from your employer by January 31 of the year
following the year you did the work. For more information,
read Household Workers (Publication No. 05-10021).
Military service
If you’ve served in the military on active duty or active
duty for training since 1957, or on inactive duty for
training since 1988, you paid into Social Security,
unless your services were specifically excluded under
the Social Security Act (such as those performed while
on leave without pay or creditable under the Railroad
Retirement Act).
When you apply for Social Security, the credits you
receive for military service are added to your civilian work
credits. The total number of credits you have determines if
you qualify for Social Security.
You may be eligible for both Social Security benefits
and military retirement. Generally, there’s no reduction
of Social Security benefits because of your military
retirement. You’ll get your Social Security benefits based
on your earnings and age you choose to start receiving
benefits.
20
Social Security survivors benefits may affect benefits
payable under the optional Department of Defense
Survivors Benefit Plan. You should check with the
Department of Defense or your military retirement advisor
for more information.
More information
For more information, visit www.ssa.gov/people/women.
21
Visit our website
The most convenient way to conduct Social Security
business from anywhere is online at www.ssa.gov. You
can accomplish a lot.
• Apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug
plan costs.
• Apply for most types of benefits.
• Find copies of our publications.
• Get answers to frequently asked questions.
When you create a personal my Social Security account,
you can do even more.
• Review your Social Security Statement
• Verify your earnings.
• Print a benefit verification letter.
• Change your direct deposit information.
• Request a replacement Medicare card.
• Get a replacement SSA-1099/1042S.
• Request a replacement Social Security card, if you
have no changes and your state participates.
Call us
If you don’t have access to the internet, we offer many
automated services by telephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. Call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY
number, 1-800-325-0778, if you’re deaf or hard of hearing.
A member of our staff can answer your call from 7 a.m. to
7 p.m., Monday through Friday, if you need to speak with
someone. We ask for your patience during busy periods
since you may experience a high rate of busy signals
and longer hold times to speak to us. We look forward to
serving you.
22
Schedule an office visit
You can find the closest office location by entering your
ZIP code on our office locator webpage.
If you are bringing documents for us to see, remember
that they must be original or certified copies that are
certified by the issuing agency.
23
Social Security Administration | Publication No. 05-10127
ICN 480067 | Unit of Issue — HD (one hundred)
January 2021 (Recycle prior editions)
What Every Woman Should Know
Produced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense