Social Security
Articles tagged Social Security from The VRO Blog.
Social Security Says You're Dead: How the Error Happens and How to Get It Reversed
Benefits stop, accounts freeze, and the fix runs through a field office that will only accept originals or agency-certified copies. Here is what to bring and what to ask for.
Who Actually Reports a Death to Social Security — and Why the Funeral Home's Report Isn't the End of It
The funeral home usually tells SSA. That report stops payments; it does not start a claim, and it does not produce the certified copy every other institution wants.
Applying for Social Security Survivor Benefits: The Documents SSA Wants, and Which Must Be Originals
SSA accepts photocopies of some documents and demands originals of most others. Here is the survivor claim's document list and what the originals rule means in practice.
Your Baby's First Year of Paperwork: Birth Certificate, SSN, and Passport in Order
The documents of a baby's first year depend on each other in a fixed sequence. Here is what unlocks what, and which deadlines are real.
Common-Law Marriage: How to Prove It Without a Marriage Certificate
A common-law marriage is real, but no state issues a certificate for it. Here is where one can still be formed, and what the Social Security Administration accepts as proof instead.
Child Identity Theft: How to Protect Your Child’s SSN and Vital Records
Children are prime targets for identity theft because their Social Security numbers are unused. Here’s how to protect your child’s SSN and vital records with free, simple steps.
Social Security Is Ending Paper Checks in 2026: How to Switch Before You Miss a Payment
The federal government is ending paper checks for Social Security benefits in 2026. Here’s who’s affected, why it’s happening, and exactly how to switch to direct deposit or a Direct Express card before your next payment.
2027 Social Security COLA Estimate: What It Means and the Records to Have Ready
The 2027 Social Security COLA is estimated at about 3.4%-3.6%, official in October 2026. Learn who’s affected and the certified records to have ready.
Social Security Coronavirus Stimulus Checks 2020
Key points: The Social Security Administration (SSA) already provides Social Security card replacements for individuals who lose their cards. There is no cost to replace a lost Social Security ca