Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with SSA

Can SSA keep my wife's passport?

dcrocha — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:36:31 -0800

Can the Social Security Authority keep my wife's passport in this particular situation? Long story.

My wife came to the U.S. in November in an L-2 visa. Everything was fine til she applied for an SSN, which was denied because her name on the I-94 was different than the one in the passport and Visa (she has a big name).

She got the I-94 correct and went to apply again for the SSN. After doing all the requested procedures, she was informed that she would have to wait another 4 weeks for document evaluation and update, so USCIS and SSA would know what the correct name is now. She leaves in a hurry.

Hours later she calls me and says she can't find her passport. She doesn't recall whether the SSA agent kept it or not.

Question: would be normal in this situation that the agent would keep her passport to finish evaluation of her documents, including the change of name on the I-94?

Does SSA reclaim benefits when someone dies?

friarjohn — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:07:59 -0800

My grandmother died last Friday. I've been handling her finances for years. She just got her (meager) pension and disbursement from Social Security days before passing. I've talked to the pension people and there's no issue there, but is SSA going to want to reclaim their May disbursement? It may seem like it's too soon to be asking these questions but since she passed I've just been trying to keep busy.

I ended up paying the nursing home $414 for the few days of May she occupied the room. After her insurance premium and the $40 allowance for toothpaste and such, that leaves about $197 left from the original disbursements. Since my grandmother had no other assets left, I'd like to put that money towards the funeral to ease the financial burden on my mother (even a little). But I don't want to use it if SSA is going to reclaim it.

Has anyone been through this? Right now I'm probably just going to leave the potential reclaimed funds in the account and use every other cent for the funeral.

Social Insecurity Phone Number

DragonBoy — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:51:01 -0800

Yesterday I spent two hours in line at the Social Security Office to get a new card for my son. Considering how long the wait was I can't believe the rules they had for waiting in line. Please help me understand the rational for not allowing people to use their mobile phones. The SSA guard on duty was also very active about enforcing the "No Cellular Phones" rule. I got told off for sending text messages and playing games on my phone. Other people were threatened with losing their place in line because they were making calls. No one was loud enough to bother others and really, the guard's enforcement of the rule made standing in line all the more miserable. Is this a violation of my rights to free speech? Can the SSA ban cell phones in their offices?

I have to go back to the SSA in a couple of weeks to update my card and before I do I'd like to know all the facts so I can be prepared for the overzealous guard.

SS#s of those passed on?

attercoppe — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 21:53:25 -0800

How would one go about finding out the Social Security number of a deceased relative? This is for a co-worker of mine, whom I'll call Wendy. Wendy's father passed away about seven years ago. Wendy's mother, in her mid-sixties at the time, has since remarried. She has just recently learned (from the SSA) that she is eligible to draw on her former husband's Social Security benefits, but first she needs to fill out the appropriate paperwork. Neither Wendy, her sister, nor their mother has any record of the father's Social Security number. The sister did his final income tax returns, but has since lost them. They have his military discharge papers, but they do not include his SS#. How else can they obtain his number, and who must make the request?

My thoughts so far: the SSA, the IRS, former employers, other military records, bank records, property titles. I'd like suggestions (thoughts/opinions) or instructions ("I've done this before"). Thanks.