Understanding Supplemental Security Income
Information About Us

  SOCIAL  SECURITY  OFFICES  

Social Security has a national network of over 1,300 local field offices. In addition , we have 10 regional offices, seven centralized processing centers, and 37 teleservice centers that are accessed via a national toll–free number. Our national headquarters is in Baltimore, MD.

Our field offices administer the Social Security, SSI and Special Veterans Benefits programs. Our employees will answer questions about those programs on the telephone and in person at your local office.

Informational booklets are available at all our field offices. The Social Security policy manual called the Program Operations Manual System (POMS) is available to the public online at: http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/aboutpoms

  CONTACTING  SOCIAL  SECURITY  

Service is available by telephone, mail, in person at an office, or electronically through the Internet.

The toll–free number is 1–800–772–1213. Service representatives are on duty to answer your calls between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., on business days. Recorded information and services are available 24 hours a day and on weekends.

Spanish speaking representatives are available to speak with callers who prefer to do business with us in Spanish. If you contact the local office or call the 1–800 number service and you need an interpreter to communicate with us, we will provide one upon request, free of charge.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our toll–free TTY number, 1–800–325–0778 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., on business days.

The fastest way to obtain service is to contact us by telephone through the toll–free number. Our representatives can answer most questions.

If an additional interview is necessary, the service representative will make an appointment for your interview at a time convenient to you.

We can schedule most interviews either by telephone or in person at a local Social Security office. If you do not want to wait for a scheduled appointment, you may visit any Social Security office, and we will serve you as quickly as possible.

If you need an interpreter to communicate with us, we will provide one upon request, free of charge.

When you call or visit us, note the name of any representative you speak with and the date of the contact.

Put your name and Social Security number on written correspondence with us, and keep a copy for your records.

  SOCIAL  SECURITY  INTERNET  SITE  

The Internet site at www.socialsecurity.gov/about.htm provides our publications, information about us, and the benefits we administer. Information on benefits is available in several languages by accessing the demographic groups link at: www.socialsecurity.gov/otherportals.htm.

Our website at www.socialsecurity.gov/multilanguage provides public information materials in several languages.

If you receive SSI benefits and need a letter to verify your monthly benefit amount, you can request this on the Internet, and we will mail it to you. See our website at: https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6/BEVE/main.html

If you need to find the closest Social Security office, you can get this information online at www.socialsecurity.gov/locator by providing your ZIP code. The information will include a map showing directions to the office.

You can find out if you might be eligible for Social Security or SSI benefits by using our Benefit Entitlement Screening Tool at: www.socialsecurity.gov/best.

You can file for Social Security retirement, spouse's, or disability benefits using our Internet application online at: www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits. Applications for SSI benefits are not available on-line.

If you file for disability benefits, you can complete the Disability Report online at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityreport or for a child at www.socialsecurity.gov/childdisabilityreport.

If you file for Social Security benefits, you can register a password with us to obtain information about your benefits on the Internet and on our automated telephone service. See our website at: www.socialsecurity.gov/password

If you file for SSI benefits when you apply for Social Security benefits and we also award you SSI benefits, you can obtain information on SSI as well.

If we award you SSI benefits only, you cannot register a password at this time. We are moving toward an electronic environment, and we will be offering this service to SSI only beneficiaries in the future. While individuals are not able to file for SSI benefits by completing an application over the Internet at this time, some of the forms needed to file are available on the Internet.