Social Security stopping mailed earning statements

[thecrow]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) - Those yearly statements that Social Security mails out - here's what you'd get if you retired at 62, at 66, at 70 - will soon stop arriving in workers' mailboxes. It's an effort to save money and steer more people to the agency's website.

The government is working to provide the statements online by the end of the year, if it can resolve security issues, Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue said. If that fails, the agency will resume the paper statements, which cost $70 million a year to mail, he said.

"We'll provide it, we expect, one way or another, before the end of the calendar year," Astrue told The Associated Press. "We're just right now trying to figure out the most cost-effective and convenient way to provide that to the American public."

The statements, mailed to 150 million people each year, project future benefit payments, helping workers plan for retirement.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110408/D9MF6B800.html

[PSPS]

1. They started mailing them in 1995 to increase the public's awareness of the benefits.

It was Senator Moynihan who started it because surveys at the time showed that a lot of eligible people were unaware.

[Travis_0004]

2. I (somewhat) support this

I'm 27, I always laugh when they send me a statement. I am saving for retirement, but I see no need to print it up and send it to me. Its a waste of paper. I realize not everybody is up to date with technology, so a good compromise would be and opt out, or opt in system for the paper statements. I don't see why they couldn't make it so you can log in to get paper statements, or call a phone number and key in your SS number.

[glinda]

3. Why does everyone assume poor own computers? Or that everyone owns one.

[du_grad]

4. Same reason we no longer get paper pay stubs...

Both my husband and I work for hospitals. Our checks are automatically deposited. We no longer get paper pay stubs - just too expensive. You can go to a specific website to check it or print it out. I think it's a good idea. The hospital has made computers and help available to those who don't have computers at home.

[mopinko]

5. don't want people to know how much they are supposed

to get. they might start expecting to get it. they might realize that it already belongs to them. you know, messy shit like that.

[glinda]

6. That was what I thought also.