7. You can get a do-over on when you claim
Some people claim benefits only later to discover that they would’ve preferred to wait. If you figure out your mistake within 12 months, you can file a request on Form SSA-521 to withdraw your original Social Security benefits application.
If it’s granted, then you’ll have to pay back all the benefits you’ve received, but you’ll be treated as if you’d never claimed your Social Security in the first place. Beware, though – you can only make this do-over move once in your lifetime.
8. You can get a new Social Security number
Given how most people get their Social Security numbers at birth and use them throughout their lifetimes, you might think you’re stuck with the same number no matter what.
However, in cases of identity theft, harassment, or duplicate use, you can request to have a changed number. In addition, if you have cultural or religious objections to your number, then that’s a valid reason for a request as well.
9. Social Security numbers don’t get reused
Technically, there’s no reason why Social Security couldn’t reassign Social Security numbers to new people once the former users passed away. Yet the SSA has chosen instead not to reassign numbers of deceased people.
With 1 billion possible nine-digit numbers, the SSA believes it should have enough numbers to last the foreseeable future – although those who’ve been reassigned a new area code on their phone numbers might be more skeptical.
10. There’s a strangely precise time limit to fix mistakes
Your Social Security benefits are determined by your earnings history, and sometimes, the Social Security Administration gets incorrect reports about your wages or salary.
If that happens, you have exactly three years, three months, and 15 days after the year when the wages were paid to correct the mistake.
Yet even if you miss that deadline, the exceptions to the rule are so broad that many people can make corrections afterward. Nevertheless, it’s important to look at your earnings history regularly and fix errors quickly.