Just logon to your computer
and visit our website at
www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.
You can apply online for your retirement benefits from the comfort
of your home or office. It can take as little as 15 minutes.
In most cases, once your
application is submitted electronically, you are done. There are no
forms to sign and usually no documentation is required. Social
Security will process your application and contact you if any
further information is needed.
Regardless of when you plan to
retire, you should consider doing it about three months ahead of
time. Then you will know that your payments will make it to you 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 when you are ready. From there, you can use our
Retirement Estimator to get an instant, personalized estimate
of your retirement benefits.
Remember that you are always
first in line when you go online. Learn more about Social Security
by visiting our website at
www.socialsecurity.gov
By Judith Bartels
Social Security District
Manager in Springfield, IL
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