The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced a strengthened partnership to help connect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. USDA and SSA's new joint agreement, or memorandum of understanding, will improve efficiency, helping to advance food and nutrition security and reduce the hurdles families face to obtain the government assistance they need. SSA continues its commitment to help people access SNAP benefits in two critical ways. SSA employees notify SSI applicants and recipients of their eligibility for SNAP. And, when everyone in a household is applying for or receiving SSI, SSA will help them apply for SNAP. Under federal law, FNS reimburses SSA for time and resources spent on SNAP screenings and applications.
The updated memorandum of understanding, which is renegotiated every five years, prioritizes efficiency by piloting alternatives to outdated paper-based application processes and collecting data to inform future improvements. Expanding the use of electronic applications and telephonic signatures will make it easier for SSI recipients to complete their SNAP application. SSA will also provide additional data to USDA on the number of SSI applicants not receiving SNAP and at what point they drop out of the application process.
"Social Security is committed to reducing barriers and ensuring people who are eligible for benefits receive them," said Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi. "Partnering with USDA to test more efficient ways to apply, share information, and help SSI families apply for SNAP assistance makes it easier for people to obtain the services they need."
"USDA is dedicated to working collaboratively with our federal partners to improve access to our nutrition assistance programs," said Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for USDA's Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. "Allowing SSI applicants and recipients to apply for SNAP with SSA prevents applicants from having to provide the same paperwork to multiple offices and reduces burden on state and local administrators. We're continually working to make it easier for all people, but especially vulnerable populations — like adults and children with a disability or blindness and people age 65 or older — to access the nutrition assistance they need and deserve."
This partnership supports Executive Order 13571 on Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service and underscores the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to delivering better results for the American people by modernizing government programs and expanding equity in federal assistance programs. It also supports Pillar 1 of the Administration's recently released National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, improving food access and affordability.
USDA's FNS works to end hunger and improve food and nutrition security through a suite of more than 15 nutrition assistance programs, such as the school breakfast and lunch programs, WIC and SNAP. Together, these programs serve 1 in 4 Americans over the course of a year, promoting consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, and affordable food essential to optimal health and well-being. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. FNS's report, "Leveraging the White House Conference to Promote and Elevate Nutrition Security: The Role of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service," highlights ways the agency will support the Administration's National Strategy, released in conjunction with the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022. To learn more about FNS, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.
SSA has provided financial protection for our nation's people for over 85 years. With retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, Social Security is one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in our nation's history. The SSI program is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications. To learn more about the SSI program, visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi. Visit www.ssa.gov to learn more about SSA programs and services and visit www.ssa.gov/socialmedia for options to follow SSA on social media.
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Starting today, visitors to SSA.gov will experience a fresh homepage and a new design to help them find what they need more easily.
"SSA.gov is visited by over 180 million people per year and it is one of our most important tools for providing efficient and equitable access to service," said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. "Whether providing service in person or online, our goal is to help people understand what they may qualify for and seamlessly transition them to an application process." Improved self-service capability allows people to skip calling or visiting an office, which helps Social Security staff focus on those visitors who need in-person assistance.
Part of ongoing efforts to improve how the public can do business with the agency, the redesign is intended to provide a clear path to the tasks customers need to accomplish. Many of the most visited sections of SSA.gov are now live with a more user-friendly and task-based approach. New pages and improvements based on public feedback will continue to be unveiled in the coming months.
Visitors to SSA.gov can use interactive tools to:
Check eligibility for benefits
The new benefit eligibility screener is a convenient and simple way for people to learn if they might be eligible for benefits.
Save time on Social Security Number (SSN) and card online services
If a person loses their SSN card, they may not need a replacement. In most cases, simply knowing their SSN is enough. If a person does need a replacement card, they may be able to request it online by visiting www.ssa.gov/ssnumber. Individuals can also start an application for an updated card or request an SSN for the first time. People may never need to visit an office and, if they do need to visit an office to complete the application, they will save a lot of time by starting online.
Start an application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
People can start the application process online and request an appointment to apply for SSI benefits by answering a few questions at www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi/.
Apply for Social Security benefits and other online services
For most benefits, people can apply online or start an application online. In many cases, there are no forms to sign. The agency will review the application and reach out with questions or for more information. Visit www.ssa.gov/onlineservices to apply for retirement, disability, or Medicare.
Many Social Security services do not require the public to take time to visit an office. Using a my Social Security account, a personalized online service, people can start or change direct deposit, or request a replacement SSA-1099. For individuals already receiving Social Security benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter if they need proof of their benefits.
People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides their earnings information as well as estimates of their future benefits. The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services. The agency encourages people without a my Social Security account to create one today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount/.
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Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced that the agency now offers people the choice to self-select their sex on their Social Security number (SSN) record. The agency has implemented this policy change and the new option is now available.
"The Social Security Administration's Equity Action Plan includes a commitment to decrease administrative burdens and ensure people who identify as gender diverse or transgender have options in the Social Security Number card application process," said Acting Commissioner Kijakazi. "This new policy allows people to self-select their sex in our records without needing to provide documentation of their sex designation."
People who update their sex marker in Social Security's records will need to apply for a replacement SSN card. They will still need to show a current document to prove their identity, but they will no longer need to provide medical or legal documentation of their sex designation now that the policy change is in place.
The agency will accept the applicant's self-identified sex designation of either male or female, even if it is different from the sex designation shown on identity documents, such as a passport or state-issued driver's license or identity card. SSN cards do not include sex markers. Currently, Social Security's record systems are unable to include a non-binary or unspecified sex designation. The agency is exploring possible future policy and systems updates to support an "X" sex designation for the SSN card application process.
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Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January.
The 8.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2023. Increased payments to more than 7 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2022. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"Medicare premiums are going down and Social Security benefits are going up in 2023, which will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room. This year's substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned," Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi said.
To view a COLA message from Acting Commissioner Kijakazi, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgm5q4YT1AM.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $160,200 from $147,000.
Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. The fastest way to find out their new benefit amount is to access their personal my Social Security account to view the COLA notice online. It's secure, easy, and people find out before the mail arrives. People can also opt to receive a text or email alert when there is a new message from Social Security--such as their COLA notice--waiting for them, rather than receiving a letter in the mail. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Information about Medicare changes for 2023 is available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, their new higher 2023 benefit amount will be available in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security's Message Center.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.ssa.gov/cola.
NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS: Here is a fact sheet showing the effect of the various automatic adjustments.
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Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi announced that the Social Security Administration (SSA) established an Office of Native American Partnerships within the Office of the Commissioner. This office will elevate and centralize efforts to administer comprehensive programs and policies related to American Indians and Alaska Natives. It will enhance the agency's relationship with Tribes and serve as the primary point of contact on Tribal affairs for all stakeholders.
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to reducing barriers to ensure people who are eligible for our benefits receive them," Acting Commissioner Kijakazi said. "Establishing our new Office of Native American Partnerships strengthens that commitment by providing Tribal communities more representation and a strong advocate, messenger, and facilitator within Social Security's Office of the Commissioner."
The Office of Native American Partnerships will be responsible for many functions to assist Tribal communities throughout the country. It will seek to improve services to communities by engaging in meaningful national and regional policy consultations, roundtable discussions, and seminars with Tribal and Federal experts. It will also coordinate internal agency Native American efforts, increase external program awareness to the Tribal community, help to recruit a diverse candidate pool for hiring at all levels of Social Security, and serve as the primary point of contact for Tribal Government Offices to foster transparency and collaboration. Additionally, the office will conduct ongoing data collection and analysis to improve outreach to Tribal communities.
Establishing the Office of Native American Partnerships supports President Biden's 2021 Executive Order (EO) 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, as well as other Federal guidance on coordination and collaboration with Tribal Governments.
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Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 12 new Compassionate Allowances conditions: Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma, Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Disease, Microvillus Inclusion Disease - Child, Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Excess Blasts, NUT Carcinoma, Pfeiffer Syndrome - Types II and III, Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia, Posterior Cortical Atrophy, Renal Amyloidosis - AL Type, and Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma.
The Compassionate Allowances program quickly identifies claims where the applicant's condition or disease clearly meets Social Security's statutory standard for disability. Due to the severe nature of many of these conditions, these claims are often allowed based on medical confirmation of the diagnosis alone. To date, more than 800,000 people with severe disabilities have been approved through this accelerated, policy-compliant disability process, which has grown to a total of 266 conditions.
"The Social Security Administration is committed to reducing barriers and ensuring people who are eligible for benefits receive them," said Acting Commissioner Kijakazi. "Our Compassionate Allowances program allows us to strengthen that commitment by accelerating the disability application process for people with the most severe disabilities."
When a person applies for disability benefits, Social Security must obtain medical records in order to make an accurate determination. The agency incorporates leading technology to identify potential Compassionate Allowances cases and make quick decisions. Social Security's Health IT brings the speed and efficiency of electronic medical records to the disability determination process. With electronic records transmission, Social Security can quickly obtain a claimant's medical information, review it, and make a fast determination.
For more information about the program, including a list of all Compassionate Allowances conditions, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
To learn more about Social Security's Health IT program, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/hit.
People may apply online for disability benefits by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.
To create a my Social Security account, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
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The Social Security Administration issued its 2022-2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan. The detailed plan, which outlines goals and priorities in each of the four areas, includes establishing a Chief Equity Officer and a DEIA Implementation Team.
"Social Security's goal is to weave DEIA principles into the fabric of our workplace," said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "In alignment with Social Security's mission, the DEIA vision is to enhance our current workforce diversity and sustain an inclusive work environment where individual differences are valued, and employees are treated with dignity and respect."
Social Security's DEIA Strategic Plan supports President Biden's June 2021 Executive Order (EO) 14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, as well as other EOs on advancing equity and preventing and combatting discrimination.
To learn more about the actions outlined in the DEIA Strategic Plan, please visit Agency DEIA Strategic Plan 2022-2023 (ssa.gov).
Equity is foundational to the strategic framework of Social Security's Agency Strategic Plan, Learning Agenda, and Evaluation Plan.
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The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its annual report on the financial status of the Social Security Trust Funds. The combined asset reserves of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (OASI and DI) Trust Funds are projected to become depleted in 2035, one year later than projected last year, with 80 percent of benefits payable at that time.
The OASI Trust Fund is projected to become depleted in 2034, one year later than last year's estimate, with 77 percent of benefits payable at that time. The DI Trust Fund asset reserves are not projected to become depleted during the 75-year projection period.
In the 2022 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:
"It is important to strengthen Social Security for future generations. The Trustees recommend that lawmakers address the projected trust fund shortfalls in a timely way in order to phase in necessary changes gradually," said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "Social Security will continue to be a vital part of the lives of 66 million beneficiaries and 182 million workers and their families during 2022."
Other highlights of the Trustees Report include:
The Board of Trustees usually comprises six members. Four serve by virtue of their positions with the federal government: Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee; Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security; Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services; and Martin J. Walsh, Secretary of Labor. The two public trustee positions are currently vacant.
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Olivia and Liam are America's most popular baby names in 2021. Liam has been the top choice for new parents for five years in a row, and Olivia has topped the list for three years. Once again, during this unprecedented time, parents chose to stick with familiar names. Out of both Top 10 lists combined, only one name changed, with Theodore replacing Alexander in popularity. The name Theodore joins the Top 10 list for the first time--welcome to the club "Teddy!"
Here are the top 10 boys and girls names for 2021:
| Boys | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1. Liam | 1. Olivia |
| 2. Noah | 2. Emma |
| 3. Oliver | 3. Charlotte |
| 4. Elijah | 4. Amelia |
| 5. James | 5. Ava |
| 6. William | 6. Sophia |
| 7. Benjamin | 7. Isabella |
| 8. Lucas | 8. Mia |
| 9. Henry | 9. Evelyn |
| 10. Theodore | 10. Harper |
For all of the top baby names of 2021, and to see where your name ranks, go to Social Security's website, www.socialsecurity.gov/babynames.
Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi encourages everyone to enjoy the baby names list and, while online, create a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. my Social Security , born ten years ago this month, is a personalized online account that people can use beginning in their working years and continuing while receiving Social Security benefits.
Over the decade, more than 69 million people have signed up and benefited from the many secure and convenient self-service options. People who set up their my Social Security account have access to additional personalized services. They can request a replacement Social Security card online if they meet certain requirements. If they already receive Social Security benefits, they can start or change direct deposit online, request a replacement SSA-1099, and if they need proof of their benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter from their account.
People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides their earnings information as well as estimates of their future benefits. The portal also includes a retirement estimator and links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits.
Additional Baby Names Information:
Social Security began compiling the baby name list in 1997, with names dating back to 1880. At the time of a child's birth, parents supply the name to the agency when applying for a child's Social Security card, thus making Social Security America's source for the most popular baby names.
Each year, the list reveals the effect of pop-culture on naming trends. Here are the top five fastest rising boys and girls names in 2021:
| Boys | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1. Amiri | 1. Raya |
| 2. Eliam | 2. Wrenley |
| 3. Colter | 3. Angelique |
| 4. Ozzy | 4. Vida |
| 5. Loyal | 5. Emberlynn |
Please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/babynames to view the entire list.
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