Q&A

Q.: How do I schedule, reschedule or cancel an appointment with Social Security?

A.: For many things, you don’t need an appointment to transact business with Social Security. For example, you don’t need an appointment to file for benefits or appeal a disability decision. You can file for the following benefits online at www. ssa.gov: recognition. You can also add a password and adjust the time before your screen automatically locks.

• Retirement.

• Medicare.

• Spouses.

• Disability.

If you don’t want to apply for benefits online, or if you need to speak to us for any other reason, you can schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment by one of the following options: Calling us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Contacting your local Social Security office.

7. Regularly check your financial accounts for suspicious transactions.

8. Avoid internet threats by installing and maintaining strong anti-virus software on all your devices—including your mobile device and personal computer. Use a virtual private network (VPN) to stay safe on public Wi-Fi. Do not perform certain activities that involve sensitive data, like online shopping and banking, on public Wi-Fi networks.

9. Protect yourself on social media by customizing your security settings and deleting accounts you no longer use. Also, double-check suspicious messages from your contacts, as hackers may create fake accounts of people you know.

10. Never click on any link sent via unsolicited email or text message—type in the web address yourself. Only provide information on secure websites.

We encourage you to create your own personal My Social Security account to track your earnings record. For more information, please read our publication, “Protecting Personal Information,”åå at oig.ssa. gov/files/21-540_Protecting_Personal_Information.pdf. Contact us if you see suspicious work activity on your record–you could be a victim of identity theft.

Please share this information with your family and friends.

Q.: How long do I need to work to become eligible for retirement benefits?

A.: Everyone born in 1929 or later needs 40 Social Security credits to be eligible for retirement benefits. You can earn up to four credits per year, so you will need at least 10 years of work to become eligible for retirement benefits. During your working years, earnings covered by Social Security are posted to your Social Security record. You earn credits based on those earnings. If you become disabled or die before age 62, the number of credits needed to qualify for Social Security benefits depends on your age at the time you die or become disabled. A minimum of six credits is required to qualify for Social Security benefits regardless of your age. You can create a my Social Security account to check and periodically monitor how many credits you have. Just go to www.ssa.gov/ myaccount.

Latest AARP research attaches value to the estimated 2.1 billion hours of unpaid care provided by family caregivers

Unpaid care provided by 2.2 million family caregivers across New York state is valued at $39 billion a year, according to new state data available in AARP’s latest report in the Valuing the Invaluable series.

This is an $8 billion increase in unpaid contributions since the last report was released in 2019.

The report highlights the growing scope and complexity of family caregiving and actions needed to address the many challenges of caring for parents, spouses, and other loved ones.

“Family caregivers play a vital role in New York’s health care system, whether they care for someone at home, coordinate home health care, or help care for someone who lives in a nursing home,” said David McNally, AARP New York director of government affairs and advocacy. “We want to make sure all family caregivers have the financial, emotional and social support they need, because the care they provide is invaluable both to those receiving it and to their community.”

AARP New York is fighting and will continue to fight for family caregivers and the loved ones they care for. Right now, AARP New York is urging state lawmakers to include in the state budget due April 1:

• $9.5 million more to ensure all who qualify for can receive in-home services for the elderly such as home delivered meals and assistance with daily activities — which support family caregivers in helping older loved ones age at home, rather than in less desirable, far costlier and mostly taxpayer-funded nursing homes;

• Fair pay for home care by setting a floor of 150% of the regional minimum wage for home care workers to address a worker shortage and ensure all who need home care can receive it, and;

• $15 million more for the long term care ombudsman program, which provides nursing home oversight and acts as the eyes and ears of residents — most of whose family caregivers are working full-time jobs and raising families of their own –but which has been woefully underfunded.

• $3 million more for the access to home program, which provides financial assistance to make residential units accessible for low- and moderate-income persons with disabilities – which would help support family caregivers in their efforts to ensure a loved one can remain in their own home.

Read the full report for national and state-by-state data on the economic value of unpaid care by family and friends. Go to aarp.org and type “Insight on the Issues” in the search button. And see local county-level data on number of caregivers, number of hours of caregiving and value of unpaid caregiving for New York state. Resources and information on family caregiving are available at aarp.org/caregiving.