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Understanding SSI Home Page / Understanding Supplemental Security Income Information About Us

INFORMATION ABOUT US

SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a national network of approximately 1,230 local field offices and 164 local hearing offices. In addition, we have 10 regional offices, 5 National Hearing Centers, 8 centralized processing centers, 45 National Case Assistance Centers, the Appeals Council, and 24 teleservice centers that you can reach by calling our national toll-free number, below. Our national headquarters is near Baltimore, Maryland.

We administer the Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Special Veterans Benefits (SVB) programs.  We will answer questions about those programs on the telephone.  Informational booklets can be obtained at www.ssa.gov or upon request. Go to https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/home!readform to access the Social Security policy manual, called the Program Operations Manual System (POMS).

CONTACTING SOCIAL SECURITY

We are available to assist you by telephone, mail, or at www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/ through the internet.

Our toll-free number is 1-800-772-1213.  Teleservice representatives are on duty to answer your calls between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. 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. In addition, if you contact the local SSA field office (FO) or call the 1-800 number, you may request an interpreter to communicate with us, which we will provide at no cost. We have telephone interpreter services in more than 120 languages and dialects. Interpreters are available immediately, with no appointment necessary.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, we will take your telecommunications relay services (TRS) assisted calls at 1-800-772-1213.  If you prefer, you may call Social Security's toll-free TTY-TDD number at 1-800-325-0778 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you need assistance that is not available via our online services, 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, we can make an appointment for you with a local FO at a time convenient for you.

If you are applying for SSI disability benefits, we will send you an Adult Disability Starter Kit, or a Child Disability Starter Kit, if you are applying for a child. Both kits are available in Spanish. The Starter Kits, which are also available on our website, will help you prepare for your interview. The kits provide a fact sheet that answers questions about the disability program, a checklist of items you will need to pursue your claim, and a worksheet for you to use to prepare for some of the questions we will ask you at your interview.

We can schedule most interviews either by telephone 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.

When you call or visit us, note the name of any representative you speak with and the date of contact.  Put your name and Social Security number on written correspondence with us and keep a copy for your records.

SOCIAL SECURITY WEBSITE

Social Security’s website at www.ssa.gov provides links to our publications, information on Social Security, the benefits we administer, our online claims process and other services. Information on benefits is available in many languages at www.ssa.gov/multilanguage through the internet.  We provide public information materials in many languages.

FIND  A  SOCIAL  SECURITY  OFFICE  

You can get information online by providing your zip code at www.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp if you need to find the closest Social Security office. The information will include a map showing directions to the office and the business hours.  

YOU  CAN APPLY  FOR  SOCIAL  SECURITY AND SSI ONLINE  

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

You can apply for Social Security retirement, spouse’s, disability, or Medicare benefits at www.ssa.gov/applyforbenefits using our internet application.You can now file for SSI online if you are also applying for Social Security disability benefits if you meet all of the following:

• Are between the ages of 18 and 65;
• Have never been married;
• You are alleging a disability.
• Are a U.S. citizen residing in one of the 50 states, District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands; and
• Have not applied for or received SSI benefits in the past.

If you do not meet all of these online filing requirements, you will need to contact us by phone to apply for SSI.

Once you finish the online process, a Social Security representative will contact you for any additional information needed for the applications.

The Adult Disability Report is available online as part of the disability application. Go to www.ssa.gov/childdisabilityreport to access The Child Disability Report. 

You may still need to contact us by phone or in person to apply for SSI. 

See www.ssa.gov/onlineservices for the most recent information about what you can do online.

PROOF OF YOUR MONTHLY SSI PAYMENT

If you receive SSI, and you need a letter to verify your monthly benefit amount, you can get a benefit verification letter online instantly through a my Social Security account.  Go to https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ to learn more and set up a my Social Security account. With my Social Security, those who receive benefits can easily view, print, or save an official letter that includes:

• Benefit amount and type.
• Medicare start date and withholding amount.
• Age of beneficiary.