Is it me or did this summer just fly by? I cannot believe it is September already!
While the days get shorter and the weather gets chillier, many of you may start to think about retiring or reducing your hours of work. December and January seem to be very popular months to retire. If you plan to start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits in January 2012, we recommend you apply for your benefits any time between now and December.
If the prospect of traveling to an office does not appeal to you, then save yourself a trip and consider the advantages of applying online for Social Security retirement benefits. The Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov makes the process easy and convenient.
In most cases, once you submit your online application electronically, you are all set. There are no additional forms to sign or paperwork to complete. In rare cases where we need additional information, a Social Security representative will contact you.
You can complete your application for retirement benefits from the comfort of your home or office in as little as 15 minutes. Then you can celebrate 2012 by receiving your first Social Security payment on time. If you are not quite ready to retire but are thinking about doing so in the near future, you may want to visit Social Security's website to use our convenient and informative retirement planner at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2. Here you can find out just how close you are to meeting your financial goals and then "bookmark" the website to file for retirement benefits whenever you are ready.
We encourage people at any stage in their working career to use the Retirement Estimator for an instant, personalized estimate of future retirement benefits. Find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
If you are still not convinced that filing online is the way to go, but you want to file an application for retirement benefits, give us a call. We will schedule an appointment for you to talk to a Social Security claims representative, either in person or over the phone, to discuss your options.
Just remember, it is a busy time of year, so scheduling an appointment ahead of time will make things easier for everyone.
Simply call our national toll-free number at (800) 772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. or the local Oneonta office at (877) 628-6581 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Here are some facts to consider _ the annual earnings limit for someone under full retirement age, or FRA, is $14,160. For every two dollars you earn over the limit, Social Security will withhold one dollar of your benefit. The year you reach FRA (age 66 for those born between Jan. 2, 1943, and Jan. 1, 1955), your earnings limit jumps to $37,680, withholding a dollar for every three you earn over that amount. That limit only applies to the months prior to the month you reach full retirement age. Therefore, if you are turning 66 in 2012, you may be eligible for some or all of your Social Security payments for the year, even if you are working full time.
So even though it is sad to say goodbye to summer, look at the new and exciting options you may have, right around the corner.
What are you waiting for? Go to www.socialsecurity.gov and start planning.
tracey L. weaver is district manager of the Oneonta office of the Social Security Administration.
Senior scene
Senior Scene: No need to visit the office to file for retirement benefits
- Senior scene
-
-
From the office: Celebrate spring by making sure all your plans are in place
By Nancy Dingee At last, I think we can finally say that spring is here!
-
Looking Back: Good times could be found on the beach yesterday and today
By Elaine Kniskern Sometimes we just need a change of pace and scenery with a little vacation or a simple getaway weekend.
-
Social Security: Initiatives help some who need benefits get them faster
By Tracey Weaver May is National ALS Awareness Month. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord.
-
As Time Goes By: Sing it with me: 'M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E' in 2012
By Henry Geerken I just love election years. Never have so many done so little for so much money. (Isn't it a shame that the gravy train passed us by?)
-
From the Office: Medicare encourages preventive health care with visits
Bt Wayne L. Shepard By the time we become eligible for Medicare, most of us have learned that change is constant and inevitable.
-
Senior Scene: Crash showed determination pays off for small-business owners
By Elaine Kniskern I guess we all have "tales to tell" in a lifetime _ that's if we dare too, for there can be legal repercussions. So I will be careful.
-
Social Security: Divorce doesn't necessarily mean end to ex's Social Security benefits
Here's a quiz for you.
-
As Time Goes By: Find a slogan and raise your taxes; you can pick a winner
By Henry Geerken Have you been paying attention to the "town meetings" that have been held in preparation for the big election less than a year from now?
-
From the Office: Much you need to know about Medicare can be found online
By Frances Wright Medicare and all its different parts can be extremely confusing.
-
Looking Back: Freedom to speak your mind important for children, too
By Elaine Kniskern We are so fortunate in this country with our many freedoms.
-
Social Security: Don't wait on paperwork to file for disability benefits
Disability is something most people do not like to think about. But if you're not able to work because you have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death, you may be able to get Social Security disability benefits. Here's what you need to know.
-
As Time Goes By: The bug confused me, got me and refused to let me go
By Henry F. Geerken I got sick.
-
From the office: Needs are great, help is plentiful for a long time after a disaster
By Nancy Dingee During the last of week of August and first week of September, our picturesque rural county was ravaged by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
-
Looking Back: Like today, role models of yesteryear offered good, bad examples
By Elaine Kniskern Years ago there was an expression among the younger generation. I haven't heard it in many a year: The expression was about being a "party-pooper" and certainly no young person, or even the older folks, wanted to have that label. Perhaps another term that was used was a "wet-blanket." No popularity contest was won when a person was in those categories. and certainly no invites for social functions would be forth coming.
-
Social Security: It's not too late to sign up for Part B
By Tracey L. Weaver If you didn't sign up for Medicare Part B medical insurance when you first became eligible for Medicare, you now have an opportunity to apply -- but you only have a little over a month to get signed up.
-
As Time Goes By: For eons, inventors have found gold dealing with people's teeth
By Henry F. Geerken Picture if you will, way back in time, a mountainous cliff with openings called "caves." In one cave were a caveman and a cavewoman, (what else?) sitting by a fire eating chunks of meat.
-
From the Office: Take steps to make wintertime falls less likely
By Wayne Shepard Cold weather can be tough on every one, but it is particularly tough for the older population. The snow looks pretty, but winter can be a scary season due to increased chances of falling on snow or ice. But there are a few things you can do to help prevent falls besides being homebound or packing up and moving to warmer climate.
-
Looking Back: We got a chance to see the greener grass on the other side
By Elaine Kniskern People seem never to be satisfied with what they have in life. There is always better and bigger, or perhaps it's "the grass that looks greener on the other side of the fence."
-
Social Security: Make your New Year's resolutions be about the future
Happy 2012 from Social Security! With the arrival of the new year, many people are putting together lists of goals and resolutions. Here are some new year's resolutions that you may find worth keeping:
-
As Time Goes By: Losing the keys to memory, one sip at a time
By Henry F. Geerken As you age, there will come an eventful day when you will forget something.
-
From the office: Celebrate spring by making sure all your plans are in place
