The ביטוח לאומי אזור אישי Administration (SSA) is a government agency that provides retirement, disability and survivors benefits. It also helps people with disabilities find work and keep their jobs.
Currently, Social Security has more money coming in than it is spending and has accumulated combined trust funds totaling $2.8 trillion. However, it will need to borrow large amounts of money to maintain benefits in the future.
Area Numbers
The first three digits of your Social Security number, known as the area number, identify what state you live in. The second two digits, called the group number, are more specific to your location within the area. The final four digits are your serial number, which is assigned in order from 0001 to 9999. If you have a number that begins with 0 or ends in 0000, it is not valid.
The SSA website has an online chart that can be used to check the area number for any SSN. The chart also explains that when an area number is shown more than once, it usually means that the SSN has been transferred from one state to another or has been split for use in different geographical locations.
In the past, the area numbers corresponded with the states where people applied for a Social Security card, but this system was replaced in 2011 for greater efficiency and security. The SSA now assigns numbers randomly to prevent duplicates and help deter identity theft.
The first three digits of your SSN represent the geographical region in which you were born. Before 2011, the area number indicated the state where you lived when you applied for your card, but this no longer holds true, since a person can now apply for an SSN at any SSA office in the country. The next two digits, the group number, are assigned in order, starting with ODD groups 01 through 09 followed by even groups 10 through 98.
Group Numbers
Those interested in understanding the Social Security number system should be aware that each nine-digit SSN contains three distinct sections: the first three digits are called area numbers, the central two digits are called group numbers and the last four digits are known as serial numbers. A full description of these can be found on the SSA website.
The first three digits of an SSN indicate the state where the individual originally applied for a Social Security card. Until the mid-1970s, this was based on the ZIP code in the mailing address on the application. Later, this was changed to a more generalized system based on geographical areas, with numbers starting in the northeast and moving westward, although there were exceptions, such as the series 700-729 for railroad workers.
When the area number for a state was exhausted, new ones were added from a pool. The middle two digits, the group numbers, also vary by region. The SSA website explains that the group numbers, which are assigned to geographic regions, range from 01 through 99, but are not assigned in consecutive order for administrative reasons. In addition, EVEN groups 02 through 08 and ODD groups 98 through 97 are used within each area number allocated to a state.
The final four digits, the serial numbers, are unique to each person and can range from 0001 through 9999. Historically, the last four digits were based on the month and year a person was born, but this plan was abandoned due to concerns that people would try to manipulate their age to obtain benefits.
Social Security Administration (SSA) Headquarters in Woodlawn
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is a United States federal agency that administers the retirement, survivors, and disability insurance programs. These are financed through taxes that employers, workers, and self-insured individuals pay each year. These funds are placed in a special trust fund and used to provide monthly benefits to more than 54 million Americans. The SSA also provides health and long-term care coverage.
The headquarters of the SSA are located in Woodlawn, Maryland. The agency plans to reduce the number of leased facilities at its headquarters by consolidating staff into existing federally owned space. In addition, the SSA will consolidate its Louisville West Field Office and move the staff into a federally owned facility.
On Oct. 26, AFGE is hosting a rally and virtual town hall at the SSA headquarters to shine a spotlight on personnel issues at the agency. Jessica LaPointe, president of AFGE Council 220, said the SSA is facing a hiring and retention crisis that has reduced morale and increased workloads. The resulting reduction in employee numbers is negatively impacting the agency’s ability to perform its vitally important anti-poverty work. The event will be livestreamed on Facebook. The headquarters of the SSA are at 6401 Security Blvd. in Baltimore County, MD. The building is a Class A office complex that was built in two phases.
SSA Field Offices
The Social Security Administration is a cabinet-level federal agency that administers the largest social welfare program in the United States. It provides retirement, survivors, and disability benefits to more than 54 million beneficiaries. It is financed by payroll taxes that employers, employees, and self-insured individuals pay. These taxes are deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund. The agency also administers Medicare, a health insurance program for the elderly and disabled.
SSA has recently closed or consolidated many offices nationwide, and the trend has alarmed activists and lawmakers. The Baltimore office is scheduled to close next month, and critics say the closure will hurt vulnerable citizens. “It’s a tragedy for people who use that office,” said Richtman. “They’re going to have to travel long distances and end up in another office that may be overcrowded.”
The SSA field offices serve as administrative centers for examining and processing disability claims and hearings, and they are located throughout the country. They also administer the Medicare program and provide a variety of other services to the public, including teleservice. The agency has a number of programs that help the elderly and disabled, including home repair grants for subsidized housing. SSA also works with local, county, and state agencies to help homeless persons. SSA also adjudicates a limited number of Medicare claim issues, which is a residual legacy from the days when the agency was part of the Department of Health and Human Services.