Archives by: Brandon Smith
About the author
Brandon P. Smith is the author of Northeast Ohio Thrive’s Social Security & You blog. He is a Social Security public affairs specialist with the Social Security Administration, based in Cleveland. A Cleveland native, he joined the SSA in 2003. He is the primary contact for media relations, outreach, and presentations for the agency in Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, and Geauga counties. In addition to other communications awards, Brandon received a Deputy Commissioner Citation from Social Security’s Office of Communication in 2015 for his outstanding public affairs support of the agency’s national communication initiatives.
Brandon Smith Posts
Did you know you can see your work history online all the way back to your first job? Your earnings history is a record of your progress toward your Social Security benefits. Social Security keeps track of your earnings so they can pay you the benefits you’ve earned over your lifetime. This is why reviewing your Social Security earnings record is so important. ...
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The new Retirement Benefits portal is just the first of several steps the Social Security Administration is taking to improve your experience on the website. Visit the new retirement benefits portal to Learn, Apply, and Manage your retirement benefits and subscribe to receive retirement information and updates. ...
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There are countless reasons why you can benefit from using your personal 'my Social Security' account. From saving you time to giving you the control, here are five that highlight why opening an account today can help you and the people you love. ...
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The Social Security Administration strives to explain your benefits using easy-to-understand, plain language. This can be particularly challenging when talking about complicated programs like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare. If there’s a technical term or acronym that you don’t know, you can easily find the meaning in our online glossary at ssa.gov/agency/glossary. ...
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We take pride in having provided vital benefits and services to this great nation for 85 years. America has a diverse population with a variety of needs. With our diverse population in mind, we’ve created webpages that speak directly to groups of people who may need information about our programs and services. ...
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During the current coronavirus pandemic, we continue to provide help to you and other people in your communities. Although you can do most of your business with us online, we know that service channel isn’t right for everyone. You can still count on us by phone. If you have a critical situation and we cannot help you with by phone or online, we may be able to schedule an appointment for you. ...
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The future can be uncertain. However, Social Security’s new Advance Designation program can help put you in control of your benefits if a time comes when you need a representative payee to help manage your money. Advance Designation enables you to identify up to three people whom you would like to serve as your potential representative payee. ...
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Scammers take advantage of the most vulnerable people during times of uncertainty and change. You must protect yourself by making sure you only give your Medicare number to your doctor, pharmacist, hospital, health insurer or other trusted healthcare provider. Follow these tips to avoid becoming a victim. ...
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