PART
1

Welcome to Social Security

What better way to introduce you to Social Security than to show you how and why it was created and how it has changed over the years as new rules and regulations were added?

Originally designed to help older Americans retire so younger Americans could get jobs during the Great Depression, it has grown into much more, providing financial assistance not only to retirees, but to disabled workers and the survivors of retired or disabled Americans.

In this part, you’ll learn how Social Security works, how to qualify for it by earning work credits, and a brief overview of when is the best time to apply. You’ll also learn the importance of protecting your Social Security number from would-be identity thieves, as well as what to do if you believe your identity has been stolen.