Embassy of the United States in Manila : Social Security Administration Home Page

Social Security Administration Division
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Embassy
1131 Roxas Blvd., Ermita
0930 Manila, Philippines
Phone: (632) 301-2000 ext. 6302/2621
Fax: (632) 522-1514
Website: www.ssa.gov

The Social Security Administration Division (SSAD) is headed by one American Officer, and staffed with 34 Locally Employed Staff (LES). The SSAD is configured to be like a U.S. stateside district office, providing many of the same services and functions. Its primary function is to administer SSA programs and services for people residing in the East-Asia Pacific Region. The division currently serves 70,000 beneficiaries and pays out over 36 million dollars to those individuals each month.

A unique aspect of the SSAD in Manila is the amount of face to face contacts and the field work. Fraud prevention and detection is a major thrust of the operation. Four full time investigators travel throughout the Philippines conducting investigations and also provide service to those individuals who cannot come into the Embassy due to distance, illness, age, etc. Services provided by Social Security include:

§ Taking claims for entitlement to all types of Social Security Benefits (retirement, survivors, disability, lump sum death payment)

§ Processing all post entitlement issues: change of address, direct deposit enrollment, non-receipt of check issues, etc.

This is to notify the public that starting FEBRUARY 12, 2007 the SSA Division will follow an appointment system for all applicants filing for SSA benefits, i.e. RETIREMENT, SURVIVORS, CHILD, PARENT & BURIAL BENEFITS.

The receptionist at the window will still entertain walk-in clients for other SSA matters.

Two old people.

A large number of Americans are retiring nowadays. The figures are expected to steadily increase until 2010 – when majority of the baby boomers reach retirement age. Whether you are about to retire or not, it is important to plan for it. Here are some important reminders from the Social Security Administration (SSA), the agency which provides retirement benefits.

Verify your earnings record. Each year, a Social Security Statement is being sent to every wage earner covered by SSA. It shows a record of earnings and provides estimates of benefits for early retirement, full retirement, and delayed retirement. Check the accuracy of the earnings posted in

the statement. If you find any discrepancies, report it immediately to SSA and submit proofs of correct earnings (e.g. W-2 statements). Generally, you are eligible for retirement benefits if you have covered work for at least 10 years – which is equivalent to 40 work credits.

Apply three months before your planned retirement age. Contact SSA three months before you finally retire. The earliest age that you can receive retirement benefits is age 62. At initial contact, be ready to provide necessary information such as your Social Security number, date and place of birth, name of spouse and minor children (if applicable), telephone number, mailing and email addresses.

Prepare required proofs. To avoid delays in processing, have the basic requirements available during first contact. These are the following: proof of age (birth certificate or baptismal certificate), proof of citizenship (passport or naturalization paper), proof of identity which must be of recent issuance (passport, work ID, postal ID, or driver’s license). If you have US military service or is receiving other pension not covered by SSA, submit your respective DD-214 and pension statement. Present only either the original documents or true copies certified by the US Embassy. Photocopies are not acceptable.

Contact SSA Division at the US Embassy – Manila . For further information, call at telephone number 301-2000 extension 6302 or 2621. You may also send an inquiry via email at ssad.varo.manila@ssa.gov. When you send an email, please provide details such as your Social Security Number, full name, and place of residence. SSA employees shall gladly assist you in applying for benefits and in giving you detailed information about any relevant issues that may arise.

Two old people.

Who is eligible for retirement?
If you were born in 1929 or later, you need to have worked for at least 10 years to be eligible for retirement benefits. If you're eligible for retirement benefits, some members of your family also can receive benefits.

When can you retire?
If you were born before 1938, your "full retirement age" is 65. Because of longer life expectancies, the full retirement age is increasing for people born after 1938. You can start your Social Security benefits as early as age 62, but the amount you receive each month will be less than if you start at full retirement age.

Retirement benefits and divorce
If you are divorced after at least 10 years of marriage, you can collect retirement benefits on your former spouse's Social Security record if you are at least age 62 and if your former spouse is entitled to or receiving benefits. If you remarry before age 60, you generally cannot collect benefits on your former spouse's record unless your later marriage ends.

Benefits for children of retirees
Social Security Dependents' Benefits are payable to your unmarried children under age 18, or age 19 if they're still in high school, or to your children age 18 or over who were severely disabled before age 22 and who continue to be disabled. Benefits can continue to be paid into adulthood if your child has a disability that began prior to age 22.

Working after retirement
Once you reach full retirement age (65 for people born before 1938), there is no limit on the amount you can earn while collecting Social Security benefits. Before age 65, your payments may be reduced depending on the amount you earn.

Medicare and retirement
If you're getting Social Security benefits when you turn 65, your Medicare Hospital Benefits start automatically. If you're not getting Social Security, you should sign up for Medicare close to your 65th birthday, even if you aren't ready to retire. Note, however, that medical expenses incurred outside the United States are NOT covered by Medicare.

How to apply for retirement benefits?
If you are eligible for retirement benefits and you are residing in the Philippines , you can file by personally visiting the Social Security Administration Division office located at the American Embassy in Manila .

If you reside in Luzon or Visayas and you are unable to travel from your residence to Manila due to travel costs, distance, health reasons, and the like, you may opt to arrange for a home visit by an SSA field representative to secure an application from you. To do this, please contact SSAD at telephone number 301-2000 ext. 6302 or 2621.

If you reside in Davao or any province in Mindanao and you are also unable to travel to Manila due to travel costs, distance, health reasons, and the like, the option available to you is to personally appear or make yourself available to participate in an outreach activity that may be held in a designated hotel or meeting area in Davao City or some other places in Mindanao. The American Embassy will announce the schedule of outreach activities accordingly.

Hands holding a Social Security Logo.

If you receive retirement benefits, you should know:

How to change your address
If you are receiving Social Security benefits, or have applied to receive them, you may report a change of address by calling our office number, 301-2000 ext. 6302 or 2621. Our representatives will be glad to take the information and, if needed, give further instructions.

How to enroll in direct deposit
Enrolling in direct deposit is a safer, quicker, and more convenient way of receiving Social Security benefits.

Allied Banking Corporation
Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)
Land Bank of the Philippines
Maybank
Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB)
China Bank
RCBC
Banco de Oro
Bank of Commerce (BOC)
Manila Bank
Security Bank
United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB)
Metrobank
Philippine National Bank

Note: Each bank has its own service charge fee, and beneficiaries that involve representative payees may only be accepted by some banks. Please inquire at the nearest bank branch or you may also call our SSAD office for more information.

How work affects your benefits
You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, under the law, your benefits could be reduced if you earn more than certain amounts.

How much can you earn and still get benefits?
Under federal law, people who are receiving Social Security benefits who have not reached full retirement age are entitled to receive all of their benefits as long as their earnings are under the limits. In 2006, the full retirement age is 65 and 8 months. The full retirement age will increase gradually each year until it reaches age 67 for people born in 1960 or later. Then the earnings limit is $12,480; hence, for every $2 over this limit, $1 is withheld from benefits.

How to have federal taxes withheld from your Social Security Benefit
Although you're not required to have federal taxes withheld from your Social Security benefit, you may find that easier than paying lump-sum payments out of your pocket.

You may select what percentage of your monthly benefit amount you want withheld either 7%, 10%, 15% or 25%. Only these percentages can be used. Flat dollar amounts are not acceptable.

What to do when a beneficiary dies
A family member or other person responsible for the beneficiary's affairs should do the following:

§ Promptly notify Social Security Administration Division of the beneficiary's death by calling 301-2000 ext. 6302 or 2621

§ If monthly benefits were being paid via direct deposit, notify the bank or other financial institution of the beneficiary's death. Request that any funds received for the month of death and later be returned to Social Security as soon as possible

§ If benefits were being paid by check, DO NOT CASH any checks received for the month in which the beneficiary died or thereafter. Return the checks to Social Security as soon as possible.

A one-time payment of $255 is payable to the surviving spouse if he or she was living with the beneficiary at the time of death, OR if living apart, was eligible for Social Security benefits on the beneficiary's earnings record for the month of death.

If there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child who was eligible for benefits on the beneficiary's earnings record in the month of death.

Benefits for survivors
Monthly survivors benefits can be paid to certain family members, including the beneficiary's widow or widower, dependent children and dependent parents.

Social Security work credits are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income. You can earn up to four credits each year.

The amount of earnings it takes to earn a credit changes from year to year. In 2006, you must earn $970 in covered earnings to get one Social Security or Medicare work credit and $3,880 to get the maximum four credits for the year.

The number of work credits you need to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age when you become disabled. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you become disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

IMPORTANT: Remember that whatever your age is, you must have earned the required number of work credits within a certain period ending with the time you become disabled. Your Social Security Statement shows whether you meet the work requirement at the time it was prepared. If you stop working under Social Security after the date of the Statement, you may not continue to meet the disability work requirement in the future.

What do we mean by Disability?
The definition of disability under Social Security is different than other programs. Social Security pays only for total disability. No benefits are payable for partial disability or for short-term disability.

Disability under Social Security is based on your inability to work. We consider you disabled under Social Security rules if you cannot do work that you did before and we decide that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition(s). Your disability must also last or be expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.

This is a strict definition of disability. Social Security program rules assume that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including workers' compensation, insurance, savings and investments.

How do we decide if you are disabled?
The SSA Headquarters in Baltimore reviews and makes the final determination of your disability. Generally, to decide whether you are disabled, we use a step-by-step process involving five questions:

1. Are you working?
If you are working in 2006 and your earnings average more than $860 a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled. If you are not working, we go to Step 2.

2. Is your condition "severe"?
Your condition must interfere with basic work-related activities for your claim to be considered. If it does not, we will find that you are not disabled. If your condition does interfere with basic work-related activities, we go to Step 3.

3. Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions?
For each of the major body systems, we maintain a list of medical conditions that are so severe they automatically mean that you are disabled. If your condition is not on the list, we have to decide if it is of equal severity to a medical condition that is on the list. If it is, we will find that you are disabled. If it is not, we then go to Step 4.

4. Can you do the work you did previously?
If your condition is severe but not at the same or equal level of severity as a medical condition on the list, then we must determine if it interferes with your ability to do the work you did previously. If it does not, your claim will be denied. If it does, we proceed to Step 5.

5. Can you do any other type of work?
If you cannot do the work you did in the past, we see if you are able to adjust to other work. We consider your medical conditions and your age, education, past work experience and any transferable skills you may have. If you cannot adjust to other work, your claim will be approved. If you can adjust to other work, your claim will be denied.

Special Situations
Most people who receive disability benefits are workers who qualify on their own records and meet the work and disability requirements we have just described. However, we want to point out some situations you may not know about:

Special rules for people who are blind
There are special rules for people who are blind or have low vision.

We consider you to be legally blind under Social Security rules if your vision cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in your better eye, or if your visual field is 20 degrees or less, even with a corrective lens. Many people who meet the legal definition of blindness still have some sight, and may be able to read large print and get around without a cane or a guide dog.

If you do not meet the legal definition of blindness, you may still qualify for disability benefits if your vision problems alone or combined with other health problems prevent you from working.

There are a number of special rules for people who are blind that recognize the severe impact of blindness on a person's ability to work. For example, the monthly earnings limit for people who are blind is generally higher than the limit that applies to non-blind disabled workers. This amount changes each year. In 2006, it is $1,450.

Benefits for widows or widowers who are disabled
If something happens to you, benefits may be payable to your widow or widower with a disability if the following conditions are met:

§ The disability started before your death or within seven years after your death.

NOTE: If your widow or widower caring for your children receives Social Security benefits, he or she is eligible if disability starts before those payments end or within seven years after they end.

We use the same definition of disability for these widows and widowers as we do for workers.

Benefits for children who are disabled
A child under age 18 may be disabled, but we don't need to consider the child's disability when deciding if he or she qualifies for benefits as your dependent. The child's benefits normally stop at age 18 unless he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or high school (benefits can continue until age 19) or is disabled.

For a child with a disability to receive benefits on your record after age 18, the following rules apply:

NOTE: An individual may become eligible for a disabled child's benefit from Social Security later in life.

For example, a worker starts collecting Social Security retirement benefits at age 62. He has a 38-year old son who has had cerebral palsy since birth. The son will start collecting a disabled "child's" benefit on his father's Social Security record

Who can get Social Security Disability Benefits?
You can get Social Security disability benefits until age 65. When you reach age 65, your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, but the amount remains the same.

Certain members of your family may qualify for benefits on your record. They include:

§ Your spouse who is age 62 or older, or any age if he or she is caring for a child of yours who is under age 16 or disabled and also receiving checks.

§ Your unmarried son or daughter, including an adopted child, or, in some cases, a stepchild or grandchild. The child must be under age 18 or under age 19 if in high school full time.

§ Your unmarried son or daughter, age 18 or older, if he or she has a disability that started before age 22.

If you become the parent of a child (including an adopted child, i.e. adoption must be decreed by a US court) after you begin receiving Social Security benefits, be sure to notify us so that we can determine if the child qualifies for benefits.

How to apply for Disability Benefits?
Apply as soon as you become totally disabled. You can file:

By personally visiting the Social Security Administration Division office located at the American Embassy in Manila .

NOTE: You may receive back benefits from the date you became disabled, but they're limited to one year before the date you filed for benefits

How to speed up your Disability Claim?
It generally takes from six months to one year to process claims for disability benefits. You can help shorten the process by bringing certain documents with you when you apply and helping us to get any other medical evidence you need to show you are disabled. These include:

§ the Social Security number and proof of age for each person applying for payments including your spouse and children, if they are applying for benefits;

§ names, addresses and phone numbers of doctors, hospitals, clinics and institutions that treated you and dates of treatment;

§ medical records from your doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics and caseworkers;

§ a copy of your W-2 Form (Wage and Tax Statement), or, if you are self-employed, your federal tax return for the past year; and

Don't delay filing for benefits just because you don't have all the information and documents you need. The people at the Social Security office will be glad to help you.

How to enroll in direct deposit
Enrolling in direct deposit is a safer, quicker, and more convenient way of receiving Social Security benefits.

Allied Banking Corporation
Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)
Land Bank of the Philippines
Maybank
Overseas United Bank (OUB)
Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB)
Security Bank
China Bank
RCBC
Equitable-PCI Bank
Bank of Commerce (BOC)
Manila Bank
Prudential Bank
Security Bank
United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB)
Metrobank
Philippine National Bank