Social Security: Web sites you should check out
Every week in one of my favorite online newspapers there is a column with a Web guide to “hot sites” on the Internet. I find it impossible to resist.
I visit every site to see if there is truly something interesting or worthwhile. Often there is. But I don’t think I would be exaggerating to say that for simple, practical, need-to-know, useful information, Social Security’s Web site is hard to beat.
Let me give you a list of places you can go to on our Web site and judge for yourself.
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ applyforbenefits allows you to file for retirement, spouse’s and disability benefits online – from the comfort and convenience of your home.
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ planners helps you make financial plans for your future ? which is so important for everyone. It tells you about retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, and also provides calculators you can use to estimate future Social Security benefits.
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ ssnumber takes you to a page that provides all kinds of useful information about the Social Security number. You can even download the form you need to request a new or replacement Social Security card.
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ beve has a convenient online service for people who need to request a letter from Social Security stating the amount of their benefits to show to other agencies in order to obtain their services.
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ multilanguage is a site that provides important Social Security information in 15 different languages.
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ women opens a page called For Women that provides basic Social Security program information of interest to women of all ages in all of life’s situations (new bride, new mom, divorced spouse, etc).
• www.socialsecurity.gov/ OACT/babynames tells you the most popular names for babies born in 2002 ? or in any year for the past 120 years.
What do you think? I’m betting a couple of these pages have made their way to your own “hot sites” list.