June 2024
Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley Announces SecurityStat and Recent Accomplishments
As a way to fast-track immediate customer service improvements, Commissioner O’Malley initiated SecurityStat, a collaboration with Social Security experts and executives to identify our agency’s most pressing problems. As a result, we are implementing changes to reduce disability processing times, National 800 Number wait times, and to resolve overpayment and underpayment injustices. Your clients can learn more about SecurityStat at www.ssa.gov/securitystat.
Please also encourage your clients to visit our Agency Accomplishments webpage at www.ssa.gov/agency/commissioner/100-days-accomplishments.html to learn about other improvements Commissioner Martin O’Malley made in his first 100 days.
Please share this information with your clients.
Social Security Celebrates the LGBTQI+ Community During Pride Month
June is Pride Month. Social Security celebrates and acknowledges your clients in the LGBTQI+ community.
We recognize same-sex marriages in all states, as well as some nonmarital legal relationships (such as some civil unions and domestic partnerships). We are committed to administering our programs in a way that promotes equity and fairness to everyone who interacts with us. The recognition of relationship status is important to determine benefit eligibility.
Here are a few things your clients should know about benefit eligibility for same-sex couples:
- Marital status is important — A member of a legally-married same-sex couple may be entitled to benefits when a spouse receives retirement or disability, or dies. We also consider marital status when we determine eligibility and payment amounts for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- The types of benefits your client can receive — Social Security taxes pay for three kinds of benefits: retirement, disability, and survivors. If your client is entitled to benefits, their spouse and eligible family members may receive benefits, too.
- When your client applies for benefits is important — If your client is married or has entered a nonmarital legal relationship, we encourage them to apply right away, even if they’re not sure they’re eligible. Applying now may protect your client against the loss of any potential benefits.
- Report life changes right away — If your client receives benefits, they should contact us if they move, marry, separate, divorce, enter into (or leave) a nonmarital legal relationship, or become a parent. Inform your clients they should let us know if their name has changed. They should report changes as soon as possible so benefits are paid correctly.
For more information, encourage your clients to visit our webpage for same-sex couples at www.ssa.gov/people/lgbtq. They can also read our publication What Same-Sex Couples Need to Know at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10014.pdf.
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Social Security To Expand SSI Rental Subsidy Policy
Effective September 30, 2024, we are expanding our Supplemental Security Income (SSI) rental subsidy policy for SSI applicants and recipients nationwide. Under this new rule, rental assistance is less likely to affect your clients’ SSI eligibility or payment amount.
SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness, and to adults 65 and older, who have limited income and resources. SSI payments can help pay for basic needs like rent, food, clothing, and medicine. People applying for and receiving SSI must meet eligibility requirements, including income and resource limits.
You and your clients can read the final rule “Expansion of the Rental Subsidy Policy for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Applicants and Recipients,” at www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/11/2024-07675/expansion-of-the-rental-subsidy-policy-for-supplemental-security-income-ssi-applicants-and.
For more information about SSI, including who is eligible and how to apply, your clients can visit www.ssa.gov/ssi.
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Social Security Omits Food From In-Kind Support and Maintenance Calculations
Supplement Security Income (SSI) provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness. It also provides monthly payments to adults aged 65 and older, who have limited income and resources. SSI payments help pay for basic needs like rent, food, clothing, and medicine. People applying for and receiving SSI must meet eligibility requirements, including income and resource limits.
We currently include food assistance as unearned income when calculating In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM). We understand this rule could affect your clients’ SSI eligibility or reduce their payment amount, so we made changes. Beginning September 30, 2024, we are no longer counting food that someone gives your clients as unearned income when we figure SSI payments. This new rule removes a critical barrier for SSI eligibility due to informal food assistance from friends, family, and community networks of support.
For more information on the SSI program, including who is eligible and how to apply, visit www.ssa.gov/ssi.
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Social Security Connect: Connect to Us From Anywhere
We continue to find ways to make doing business your clients easier. With our Social Security Video Connect option, they can conduct business with us using video on their personal device, from any location. Social Security Video Connect is available for:
- No-change replacement Social Security cards (U.S. citizens only).
- Date of birth corrections (U.S. citizens only).
- Benefit applications.
- Redeterminations.
- Overpayments.
- Medicare.
To get started, you clients can contact their local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday to schedule a video appointment. If a video appointment isn’t appropriate for their needs, we can conduct the interview with them over the phone or in the office.
Your clients will need a computer, tablet, or smart phone with a webcam and internet access for their video appointment. We will send them a Microsoft Teams meeting link to join the video appointment. If they run into issues with Teams or need to reschedule your appointment, they contact their local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213.
We strive to improve our customer service and increase the ways you can connect with your clients. Please share this information with your clients.