Page 26 - Senior Times South Central Michigan May 2021 - 28-05

Page 26 Senior Times - May 2021 Updates on Your
Providing services for Veterans and their families.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Vonda VanTil, Special to Senior Times
REPLACEMENT OR CORRECTED SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS DURING THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Social Security offices are current- ly open only for in-person appoint- ments for limited, critical situations, depending upon local office conditions. However, you can continue to apply for a replacement Social Security card online and by mail.
Before requesting a replacement card, please remember that you might not need the physical card. Most of the time, simply knowing your Social Security number is enough.
Federal Benefits and Programs Emergency Assistance Benefits County Burial Benefits
(269) 969-6735
190 East Michigan Avenue, Third Floor Battle Creek, Michigan calhouncountymi.gov/departments/veterans_affairs/index.php
Applying Online – If you don’t need any changes to your Social Security number record (such as a name or date of birth change), applying for a replace- ment card online is your most conve- nient option. You don’t need to mail proof or visit an office.
If you need to change your name, when you mail your replacement card application, you will need to submit proof of identity plus proof of the name change. The proof of identity can be primary or secondary proof. Proof of the name change could be a marriage certificate, divorce decree, Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name, or a court order approving the name change.
In-Home Care for a Better Quality of Life
Light Housekeeping • Meal Prep • Dressing • Companionship Grocery Shopping • Laundry
Providing services to Kalamazoo, Calhoun, St Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Jackson Counties.
306 W. Washington Ave., Suite 104, Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: 517.768.0900 • Toll Free: 877.768.0901 • Fax: 517.768.0909
Email: rahofscm-info@sbcglobal.net • website: www.scentralmichigan.rightathome.net
2990 Business One Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Phone: 269.762.6110 • Toll Free: 877.406.4055 • Fax: 269.762.6109 Email: info@rahhelps.com • website: www.rahhelps.com
247 S. Main St., Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: 517.768.0900 • Toll Free: 877.768.0901 • Fax: 517.768.0909
Email: rahofscm-info@sbcglobal.net • website: www.scentralmichigan.rightathome.net
The Care That’s Right, at Home®
Call 24/7 For Service
www.rightathome.net
for Seniors
By: Alisa Parker, Managing Attorney
Please call. The Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Battle Creek office will conduct interviews for legal advice and possible representation, without charge, OVER THE TELEPHONE to interested seniors who reside in Calhoun County. If you wish to speak with an attorney, please call (269) 224-5040, on one of the following days and times:
• Wed, May 5, 10:30am-12pm • Wed, May 12, 9am-12:30pm • Fri, May 14, 9am-12:30pm
• Wed, May 19, 11am-12pm
basic training
with Mac McCullough from Willard Libary
May 19th @ noon
Learn how to: • Login
• Mute
• View Participants
• Test Audio
• Chat
• Share Your Screen
• Record Video
• Set Security Options
• Use Lesser Known Zoom
Features
Brought to You by the Heart of the Village.
If you have a critical situation
that requires you to have a physical card and you cannot apply by mail
or online, you should call your local Social Security office. Please visit our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates page for more information at www.ssa.gov/ coronavirus.
These proofs must be current (not expired), show your name and identi- fying information (such as your date of birth or age), and be an original or a certified copy.
You can use our online application
if you are an adult, have a State-issued drivers’ license or non-driver identi- fication card, and live in the District
of Columbia or one of the 45 States (including Michigan) that verifies State- issued documents for us. All you need to do is create a my Social Security account to access and complete the online application at www.ssa.gov/ myaccount/replacement-card.html.
For example, you may submit a marriage certificate as proof of name change and identity if the certificate shows the marriage occurred within the prior two years and:
• Includes your prior name.
• Includes your age, birth date, or par-
Applying by Mail – We require proof of your identity with your replacement card application (www.ssa. gov/forms/ss-5.pdf), usually a State- issued drivers’ license or non-driver identification card, or U.S. passport. We call these documents “primary” identity
We will return any documents you send us.
Legal Phone Advice
Reserve you spot by calling Calhoun County Senior Services (269) 781-0846.
proofs. We understand mailing primary identity proofs with your replacement card application can be challenging.
To help, we are temporarily expanding our policy to accept alternative identity documents – or what we call “second- ary proofs” – when you cannot mail primary proof.
Acceptable secondary proofs include, but are not limited to:
• Employee identification card. • School identification card.
• Health insurance card (not a
Medicare card).
• U.S. military identification card.
You may be able to submit one doc- ument to serve as proof of your name change and identity.
ents’ names.
• This information matches your Social
Security number record.
Vonda Van Til is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan. You
can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525 or via email at vonda. vantil@ssa.gov.