We all make mistakes. Some mistakes are bigger than others, but what is important is that we work to make things right as quickly as possible. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is no different, and while they do a good job of keeping things orderly, they too sometimes mess up. As reported by Rachel Cole for NBC, the SSA’s mistaken records indicated that a local senior had passed when she was indeed alive and waiting for her benefits to arrive.
So, what happens if the SSA makes a Social Security mistake and what can we do to correct them?
Social Security Mistake
Social Security mistakes do happen from time to time, and luckily there are ways to deal with them efficiently. In the case of the senior woman in the story, she needed to rely heavily on her caretakers and family to help sort out her predicament.
The key to a speedy solution is patience. That may sound like a paradox, but it’s true. Long wait times and busy phones will cause frustrations but if we can stay patient than we can find an answer. It also helps to try and get creative. The SSA online services portal, to its credit, is intuitive and can provide resources to answer questions or get you in front of a Social Security agent sooner rather than later.
While these mistakes are often simple in nature, for example a typo or an incorrect date, fixing them can take time. Verifying and re-verifying your information, like double checking your Social Security Number, will be of utmost importance.
And sometimes the mistakes are not our faults, as will the family in the story. In that instance, it’s important to be mindful of your benefit checks, keeping records of their arrival times and amounts, so it can be easier to spot any mistakes or inconsistencies.
Stay vigilant and you and your benefits will be fine.
For retirement tips and tricks, remember to follow along with the Council for Retirement Security.
