The SSA has announced new and confusing rules about when and how to prove your identity to apply for benefits. In some cases, you will be required to go to the SSA office in person, document in hand if you do not already have a MySocial Security online account. The local office for our area is 455 SW 5TH St., Suite F, Des Moines, IA 50309 (It’s near the Iowa Cub’s baseball field). Phone 1-800-772-1213. You will need an appointment. You may consider calling for an appointment well in advance of your need due to staffing shortages
You can set up an account on the SSA website. It will ask you questions to verify your identity. These are not the softball questions like: what is your mother’s middle name? One question might be: with which mortgage company have you had a mortgage? Multiple choice, including none. I am not sure about all of you, but once you get to the point of qualifying for retirement, you may not remember all the mortgage companies you have engaged with, including those who purchased mortgages that you started somewhere else. So, you may or may not have success setting up your online account. If you are successful, WRITE DOWN your login and password somewhere that you can find it because you WILL need it again. If you are unsuccessful, you must go to the Social Security office to prove who you are.
Acceptable documents are on the SSA website. Generally, it must be the original document issued by a federal or state government agency, contain your picture, not be expired or suspended, and not include the phrase “not intended as proof of identification.” Of course, not everyone has one of those: IDOT does not visit nursing homes or people homebound to issue non-driver identification cards to people whose driver’s license has expired. (See my previous article titled “Why Grandma Needs a Passport.”)
If you can create an online account, you can also designate who would be your representative payee if you become unable to manage your money. You should definitely do that now. There are several other helpful Q&A responses on the website. My favorite is: Q: If I do not get my Social Security payment, should I contact the Social Security Office? A: No. My suggestion: if you do not get your social security payment, call your state senator.
