Q. How does one get an appointment with the local Social Security office? I called the toll-free number and opted for them to call me back. Several days later, they still had not. On Monday and Tuesday, I called the local number repeatedly. The line stays busy. I'm retiring soon; how can I reach them? -- T.G.
A. A recorded voice at 800-772-1213 says that early in the week and early in the month are the agency's busiest times, so you might get a quicker response if you call at other times. The toll-free number is available from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The local office is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday except federal holidays. The number there is 722-1132.
Frank Viera of the Social Security Administration's regional public-affairs office in Atlanta apologizes for the busy phone lines and says that return calls are usually made within 24 to 48 hours.
Viera said that the easiest way to contact Social Security is through its Web site www.socialsecurity.gov.
If you have Internet access, you can apply for benefits online without speaking to an agency representative.
"In many cases, a retirement application can take as little as 15 minutes to submit and no additional information needs to be mailed to Social Security," Viera said in an e-mail.
People who are already receiving benefits can also conduct business online.
Though you can walk into any Social Security office and be helped, Viera highly recommends an appointment to minimize your wait.
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