By Hillary Hatch, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Questions and Answers
Question:
What is the estimated average Social Security payment that a person receives each month?
Answer:
The estimated average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker in 2024 is $1,907.00. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a worker with a disability in 2024 is $1,537.00.
Question:
I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income?
Answer:
Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Security automatically credits the new earnings. If your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Question:
My child, who gets Social Security, will be attending his last year of high school in the fall. He turns 18 in a few months. Do I need to fill out a form for his benefits to continue?
Answer:
Yes. You should receive a form, SSA-1372-BK, in the mail about 3 months before your son’s birthday. Your son needs to complete the form and take it to his school’s office for certification. Then, you need to return page2 and the certified page 3 back to Social Security for processing. If you can’t find the form we mailed to you, you can find it online at: www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1372.pdf.
Question:
How can I get a copy of my Social Security Statement?
Answer:
You can get your personal Social Security Statement (Statement)online by using your personal my Social Security account. If you don’t yet have an account, you can easily create one on our website. Your online Statement gives you secure and convenient access to your recent earnings records. It also shows estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits you and your family may be eligible for.
To set up or use your account to get your online Social Security Statement, go to www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
We also mail Statements to workers age 60 and over who aren’t receiving Social Security benefits and do not yet have a personalmy Social Security account. We mail the Statements 3 months prior to your birthday.
Hillary Hatch 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 hillary.hatch@ssa.gov