Dealing with the federal government is not always easy. There’s a lot of bureaucracy, and cutting through all that red tape can feel like it requires a herculean effort. This can certainly be the case when it comes time to collect what the federal government owes you from social security. Just because you paid into social security for decades does not mean getting the proper amount of social security income will be easy. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to help get the money you deserve from social security.
Check Your Social Security Statement
One thing you should do if you want to make sure you are getting what you are owed form social security it to check your social security statement. This statement will show how much you have paid into social security and Medicare for all the years you have worked. It will also estimate what your benefits should be. Look for inaccuracies that could cause a miscalculation of your benefits.
Talk with Social Security
Obviously, if you have discovered a discrepancy, you should reach out to social security to solve the problem. This can be done over the phone. However, it may be worth your time to set up an in-person appointment with Social Security. An in-person meeting may do more to ease your mind in regards to the fact that you have done everything possible to solve the problem. This isn’t always the case when dealing with an SSA representative over the phone.
Get a Lawyer
Despite phone calls, meetings and plenty of paperwork, Social Security may still not want to budge in regards to calculating your benefits correctly so you are paid what you are owed in your monthly check. At this point, it may be best to seek out the services of an attorney who specializes in Social Security cases. The field is so expansive that you may be able to find lawyers that specialize in certain kinds of Social Security cases such as Social Security disability attorney services.
Appeal Your Case
Once you have found legal representation, one of your options in the legal system is to appeal a decision regarding your Social Security benefits. For example, if you were denied disability benefits under Social Security, you can sue to appeal this decision. If your case is sound, you may be successful.
The Social Security Administration is a bureaucracy. Bureaucracies tend to produce errors. This is not your fault, and you do not have to be satisfied with the SSA’s mistakes regarding the benefits you are owed. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to remedy the situation.
About the Author: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her husky Snowball. You can find her on Twitter at @LizzieWeakley and on Facebook at facebook.com/lizzie.weakley.
