Social Security

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Established in 1935, SSA has evolved to serve millions of Americans through a network of approximately 1,200 field offices, regional offices, processing centers, and teleservice centers, with its headquarters in Woodlawn, Maryland.

SSA offers several key services, including retirement benefits for workers who have paid Social Security taxes, disability benefits for those unable to work due to qualifying disabilities, and survivor benefits for family members of deceased workers. The agency also provides Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for low-income individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled. In fiscal year 2022, SSA paid out around $1.2 trillion in Social Security benefits to 66 million individuals and $61 billion in SSI benefits to 7.5 million low-income individuals, playing a crucial role in the U.S. social safety net.