Topical Legal & Policy Research
Governmental Benefits
Social Security
What: The Social Security Administration's Web site provides information about Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance Benefits, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The government site offers easy access to Social Security specific law, regulations, Commissioner rulings, and employee operating instructions.
How to search: Researchers may use several methods to access information depending on the information sought. Below you will find several useful research tools on this site. However, this list by no means intends to be exhaustive, thus users should explore the sites other useful materials.
- Social Security Act Specific Statutes - The site has two useful features, the Table of Contents, which permits title browsing, and the Linked Index, linking users to specific sections of the Social Security Act based on alphabetically indexed keywords and topics. Through Title XVI link users may browse SSI specific sections. Each section references the Public Law number and the correlating United States Code section.
- Social Security Specific Regulations - Users may browse Social Security Code of Federal Regulations (updated through April 1, 2002) by title. For updates since April 1, 2002, users may search the Final Rules, organized by date, from the most recently adopted back to April 2002. The SSI Law and Regulation Finder provides quick links to some of the most frequently used sections of the SSI regulations including those governing eligibility, income, and assets criteria.
- Legislation & Testimony - Gives users updates of current legislation and testimony by SSA officials before Congress, in summary form. Users may also access past Congressional sessions on this site.
- Commissioner Rulings - Allows users to search both Social Security Rulings and Acquiescence Rulings (click on each for definitions) from 1960 to date. Search rulings by Table of Contents, Index, or Finding Lists, which permit browsing by year or name of court case.
- SSA Manuals - Most program guides that guide the administration of SSA programs are available online. Perhaps most useful, the SSA POMS may be searched by table of contents or recent changes. The HALLEX Manual provides the instructions used by employees of SSA's Office of Hearings and Appeals in processing and adjudicating claims at the hearing, Appeals Council review, and civil actions levels of appeal. Table of contents and index may also be used to browse the HALLEX.
Helpful hints: The SSA Web site, like many large government agency Web sites can be very useful but also very confusing. When you find useful pages, make sure to save them in your favorites file. Doing so will reduce your research time the next time you need to access the site. Several materials on the site have helpful indexes with document links that allow quick access to specific research topics. To locate SSA offices in your area enter your zip code on the office locator page.
Other Web sites: For accuracy, the SSA Web site should be utilized for accessing agency specific information including the POMS and HALLEX. However, since law and regulation largely govern the administration of SSA, many other sites may be utilized for your research, including:
