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Social Security Administration

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	Topics Social Security Administration Topic Home The United StatesUnited States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent agencyIndependent agencies of the United States government Independent agencies of the United States government are those that exist outside of the departments of the executive branch... of the United States federal governmentFederal government of the United States The government of the United States of America, established by the U.S.... that administers Social SecuritySocial Security (United States) Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through a dedicated payroll tax.... , a social insuranceSocial insurance Social insurance is any government-sponsored program with the following four characteristics:... program consisting of retirementRetirement Retirement is the status of a worker who has stopped working.... , disability, and survivors' benefits. To qualify for these benefits, most American workers pay Social Security taxes on their earnings; future benefits are based on the employees' contributions. The Social Security Administration was established by a law currently codified at . Its current commissioner is Michael J. AstrueMichael J. Astrue Michael J. Astrue is the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, nominated by President George W.... , who was sworn in on February 12, 2007 and whose six-year term expires on January 19, 2013. SSA is headquartered in WoodlawnWoodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland Woodlawn is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States.... , MarylandMaryland Maryland , is a Mid-Atlantic state located on the East Coast of the United States and is classified by the U.S.... , just to the west of BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland Baltimore is an independent city located in the U.S.... , at what is known as Central Office. The agency includes 10 regional offices, 8 processing centers, approximately 1300 field offices, and 37 Teleservice Centers. As of 2007, about 62,000 people were employed by the SSA. History The Social Security Act created a Social Security Board (SSB), to oversee the administration of the new program. It was created as part of President Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as the 32nd President of the United States and was elected to four terms in office.... 's New DealNew Deal The New Deal is the name given to the series of programs implemented between 1933-37 under President Franklin D.... with the signing of Social Security Act of 1935Facts About Social Security (United States) Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through a dedicated payroll tax.... , August 14 1935. The Board consisted of three presidentially appointed executives, and started with no budget, no staff, and no furniture. It obtained a temporary budget from the Federal Emergency Relief AdministrationFederal Emergency Relief Administration Federal Emergency Relief Administration was the new name given by the Roosevelt Administration to the "Emergency Relief Admi... headed by Harry HopkinsFacts About Harry Hopkins Harry Lloyd Hopkins was one of Franklin Roosevelt's closest advisors.... . The first Social Security office opened in Austin, TexasAustin, Texas Austin is the state capital of Texas and the county seat of Travis County.... , on October 14, 1936. Social Security taxes were collected first in January 1937, along with the first one-time, lump-sum payments. The first person to receive a Social Security benefit was Ernest Ackerman, who was paid 17 cents in January 1937. This was a one-time, lump-sum pay-out, which was the only form of benefits paid during the start-up period January 1937 through December 1939. The first person to receive monthly retirement benefits was Ida Mae Fuller of Brattleboro, Vermont. Her first check, dated January 31, 1940 was in the amount of US$22.54. In 1939, the Social Security Board merged into a cabinetCabinet A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch.... -level Federal Security AgencyFederal Security Agency The Federal Security Agency was an independent agency of the United States government established in 1939 pursuant to the "... , which included the SSB, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps was a work relief program for young men established in March 1933 during President Franklin... , and other agencies. In January 1940, the first regular ongoing monthly benefits were begun. In 1946, the SSB was renamed the Social Security Administration under President Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the thirty-third President of the United States; as Vice President, he succeeded to the office upon the ... 's Reorganization Plan. In 1972, Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) were introduced into SSA programs to deal with the effects of inflationInflation In mainstream economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices, as measured against some baseline of purchasing... on fixed incomeFixed income Fixed income refers to any type of investment that yields a regular payment.... s. In 1953, the Federal Security Agency was abolished and the SSA was placed under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. HEW became the Department of Health and Human Services in 1980. In 1994, President Bill ClintonBill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001.... signed into law returning the SSA to the status of an independent agency in the executive branch of government. Leaders Chairmen of Social Security Board John G. Winant (1935-1937) Arthur J. AltmeyerArthur J. Altmeyer Arthur J. Altmeyer was born in DePere, Wisconsin May 8, 1891.... (1937-1946) Commissioners Arthur J. AltmeyerArthur J. Altmeyer Arthur J. Altmeyer was born in DePere, Wisconsin May 8, 1891.... (1946-1953) John W. Tramburg (1953-1954) Charles I. Schottland (1954-1958) William L. Mitchell (1959-1962) Robert M. BallRobert M. Ball Robert Myers Ball was an American Social Security official, who served under three presidents as Commissioner of Social Sec... (1962-1973) James B. Cardwell (1973-1977) Stanford G. Ross (1978-1979) William J. Driver (1980-1981) John A. Svahn (1981-1983) Martha A. McSteen (1983-1986) Dorcas R. Hardy (1986-1989) Gwendolyn S. King (1989-1992) Shirley S. Chater (1993-1997) Kenneth S. Apfel (1997-2001) Jo Anne B. BarnhartJo Anne B. Barnhart Overview Jo Anne Barnhart is the 14th Commissioner of Social Security, filling a six-year term of office that will run through January 19, ... (2001-2007) Michael J. AstrueMichael J. Astrue Michael J. Astrue is the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, nominated by President George W.... (2007-present) Headquarters The SSA is one of the few Federal agencies to have its headquarters outside of Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America.... It was located in BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland Baltimore is an independent city located in the U.S.... initially due to the need for a building that was capable of holding the unprecedented amount of paper records that would be needed. Nothing suitable was available in Washington in 1936, so the Social Security Board selected the Candler Building on Baltimore's harborInner Harbor The Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and iconic landmar... as a temporary location. Soon after locating there, construction began on a permanent building for SSA in Washington that would meet their requirements for record storage capacity. However, by the time the new building was completed, World War IIWorld War II World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,... had started, and the building was commandeered by the War DepartmentUnited States Department of War The United States Department of War was the department of the United States government's executive branch responsible for th... . By the time the war ended, it was judged too disruptive to relocate the agency to Washington. The Agency remained in the Candler Building until 1960, when it relocated to its newly built headquarters in Woodlawn. The road on which the headquarters is located, built especially for the SSA, is named Security Boulevard (Route 122)Maryland Route 122 Maryland Route 122 better known as Security Boulevard is a 6-lane highway that runs near the Social Security Administr... and has since become one of the major arteries connecting Baltimore with its western suburbs. Security Blvd. is also the name of SSA's exit from the nearby Baltimore Beltway\|Interstate 695]]). A nearby shopping center has been named Security Square MallSecurity Square Mall Security Square Mall is a large mall in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, United States.... , and Woodlawn is often referred to informally as "Security." Interstate 70Interstate 70 Summary Interstate 70 is a long interstate highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 about a mile from Cove Fort, Ut... , which runs for thousands of miles from UtahUtah Utah is a U.S. state located in the western United States.... to MarylandMaryland Maryland , is a Mid-Atlantic state located on the East Coast of the United States and is classified by the U.S.... , terminates in a Park and RideFacts About Park and ride Park and ride facilities are public transport stations that allow commuters to leave their personal vehicles in a parking lo... lot that adjoins the SSA campus. Due to space constraints and ongoing renovations, many headquarters employees work in leased space throughout the Woodlawn area. Coverage The SSA's coverage under the Social Security program originally covered nearly all non-government workers in the continental U.S.Continental United States Summary Depending on usage, the term *continental United States* can refer to either:... and the territories of AlaskaAlaska Alaska is a U.S. state, located on the northwest tier of North America.... , HawaiiHawaii Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959.... , Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands below the age of 65. All workers in interstate commerce and industry were required to enter the program, except railroad, state and local government workers. In 1939, the age restriction for entering Social Security was eliminated. When it was introduced, all of these people were brought into MedicareMedicare (United States) Medicare is a health insurance program administered by the United States government, covering people who are either age 65 a... as well. Railroad workers were covered by the Railroad Retirement BoardFacts About Railroad Retirement Board The Railroad Retirement Board is an agency of the United States government created in the 1930s which established a retireme... before Social Security was founded; they still are, though a portion of each railroad pension is designated as "equivalent" to Social Security. Railroad workers also participate in Medicare. Most state and local government workers were eventually brought into the Social Security system under so-called "Section 218 agreements" where their employer agreed to participate in Social Security, while others were brought in under a 1991 law that required these employees to join Social Security if their employer did not provide them with a pension plan. Some state and local governments continue to maintain their own pension plans and have not executed Section 218 agreements; if so, their workers do not participate in Social Security. (If those workers also have service in Social Security, however, their Social Security benefits are reduced by a rule known as the Windfall Elimination Provision; there is also a similar Government Pension Offset for their spouses.) All state and local government employees hired since 1986, or who are covered by Section 218 agreements, participate in Medicare even if not covered by Social Security. Old Age, Survivors and Disability The SSA administers the old age, survivors, and disability social insurance programs, which provide monthly benefits to retired or disabled workers, their spouses and children, and to the survivors of insured workers. In 2004, more than 47 million Americans received approximately US$492 billion in Social Security benefits. The programs are financed by mandatory contributions which employers, employees, and self-insured persons pay. These revenues are placed into a special trust fundSocial Security Trust Fund The Social Security Trust Fund is the United States federal government's means of accounting for workers' and employers' pai... . Supplemental Security IncomeSupplemental Security Income Supplemental Security Income is a monthly stipend provided to some citizens and some lawfully admitted aliens by the United ... (SSI) SSA administers the SSI program, which is needs-based, for elderly, blind, or disabled persons. This program began in 1973. SSI recipients are paid out of the general revenue of the U.S. In addition, some states pay additional SSI funds. Approximately 7 million persons are covered by SSI. Medicare The administration of the MedicareMedicare (United States) Summary Medicare is a health insurance program administered by the United States government, covering people who are either age 65 a... program is a responsibility of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ', previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration, is ... , but SSA district offices and program service centers are used for determining eligibility, processing premium payments, and for some public contact. Automation While the establishment of Social Security predated the invention of the modern digital computerComputer Overview A computer is a machine for manipulating data according to a list of instructions known as a program.... , punch cardPunch card The punch card is an obsolescent recording medium for digital information for use by automated data processing machines, in... data processing was a mature technology, and the Social Security system made extensive use of automated unit record equipmentFacts About Unit record equipment Before the advent of electronic computers, data processing was performed using electromechanical devices called unit record equ... from the program's inception. This allowed the Social Security Administration to achieve a high level of efficiency. SSA expenses have always been a small fraction of benefits paid. Baby name popularity report Each year, just before Mother's DayMother's Day Mother's Day is a holiday honouring mothers, celebrated in many places around the world.... , the Social Security Administration releases a list of the names most commonly given to newborn babies in the United States in the previous year, based on applications for Social Security cards. The report includes the 1,000 most common names for each gender. The Popular Baby Names page on the SSA website provides the complete list and allows searches for past years and particular names. See also Social Security (United States)Facts About Social Security (United States) Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through a dedicated payroll tax.... Social Security numberSocial Security number Overview In the United States, a Social Security number is a number issued to citizens, permanent residents, and temporary resident... Government operationsGovernment operations This article aims to describe the financial expenditure associated with the operations and processes of world governments of all l... Social Security Death IndexSocial Security Death Index The Social Security Death Index is a database of death records created from the United States Social Security Administration... Michael J. AstrueMichael J. Astrue Michael J. Astrue is the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, nominated by President George W.... Commissioner Social Security Administration NOSSCR National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives External links - Official Pamphlet ODAR from The Federal Register Further reading , by David Traver, James Publishing, 2006, ISBN 1-58012-033-4 , Germania Publishing, 2006.