Social Security Administration (SSA)

The independent federal organization created to implement the provisions of the Social Security Act. It has more than 1,200 local service offices in nearly every county in the United States, and its central records are maintained in its Baltimore headquarters. The local offices are primarily oriented to helping people with its largest programs, Old Age, Survivors, Disability, and Health Insurance (OASDHI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The SSA was created in 1946, superseding the Social Security Board. The SSA maintains a toll free 24-hour telephone service to help clients recover lost social security cards, obtain information about social insurance and Medicare eligibility, and obtain an update about one's contributions and expected future benefits: 1-800-772-1213.