SOCIAL SECURITY Q & amp;A

Q: A friend told me I am required to carry my Social Security card with me at all times. Is this true?
A: No. In fact, we advise people just the opposite. Unless you are applying for a job and for some government benefits (times when you may need to show your actual Social Security card), there is generally no reason to carry it around with you. You can help prevent identity theft if you keep your Social Security card in a safe place at home.
Q: I have had a good salary for most of my adult life. I am 59 years old. And now, just as I'm approaching Social Security retirement age, I find myself in a position where my salary will be cut in half. I am wondering what impact this will have on my Social Security checks. Is the estimate in my Social Security Statement still accurate?
A: Your Social Security benefit will probably be slightly less than we are currently projecting it to be. But it probably won't be significantly less. Your Social Security benefit represents a percentage of your average wage using a 35-year base of earnings. With only a few years of reduced earnings near the end of your career, your average wage will be somewhat less than it would have been had you kept making a high salary until you retired. But factored over 35 years, those few years of lower earnings probably will not reduce your Social Security benefit as much as you fear. You can go to our retirement calculators at www.social-security.gov/planners/calculators.htm to get a better idea of what the impact will be.
Q: I am getting married this month. I plan to keep my maiden name. But I was told I have to change my Social Security card into my husband's name. Is this true?
A: No, it's not. We constantly remind new brides to change their names in Social Security records if they change their names after getting married. And this includes women who choose to use a hyphenated version of their own name and their husband's name. But if you decide to keep your maiden name, there is no need to change Social Security records. The whole point is to make sure the name your employer is using to report your earnings to the government and the name you use to file your tax returns with IRS match the name in Social Security's records. We don't care which name that is, as long as you are consistent in using the same name for all official purposes.
XThis column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at (800) 772-1213.
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