On average, Social Security replaces about 40% of the income you had before retirement, according to Suze Orman. Orman, an acclaimed personal finance guru, strongly advises every United States citizen to register on the official SSA website, www.ssa.gov. On this site, you can read extensive information about how the program works, get answers to frequently asked questions, view your earnings record for accuracy, and track the projected benefits you can expect to receive at retirement. An additional resource is usa.gov.
Learning Social Security Administration (SSA) Terminology
While perusing online resources is helpful, the SSA sometimes uses enigmatic terminology that leads to confusion. Terms such as credits, blackout periods and “fully insured” require some explanation. Quizlet is an online educational service that offers a specific module on Social Security jargon and essential facts. Understanding the vernacular can help make conversations with representatives more productive, and the fast facts can guide retirees not sure of what questions to ask.
The online tool is framed around study sets, which are lists of terms with their corresponding definitions. Within each set are study modes that reflect a multi-sensory approach to accommodate a range of learning styles. Some learners assimilate information best through reading or writing. Others are more auditory and test-oriented.
The website boasts usage by over 50 million students and teachers monthly. This intuitive tool is strategically designed for personalized study, offering online flashcards, games and tests. The basic tool is free. There is an option to add features for a fee.
How Quizlet Works
To sign up, go to the Quizlet website, and set up your free account. The only information required to create a user name and password is an email address and birth date. Once logged on, click one of the study sets displayed. A list of terms will appear with the associated definitions. Click each to convert text to sound so you can hear as well as read.
Click the study mode of your choice. Options are Learn, Flashcards, Write, Match and Test. Learn mode poses a variety of questions, which if answered correctly, presents even harder questions. Flashcard mode, which includes a text-to-speech feature, mimics the flashcards you may have created for school from index cards. In Write mode, a text field is available for you to practice written answers. Match mode allows you to practice by playing a game, which requires identifying sentence phrases that belong together. Test mode offers a choice of various quiz formats; true/false, multiple choice and text.
Learning On-The-Go
Technically savvy retirees who enjoy mobile apps can download Quizlet on iOS and Android devices. It is a fun, interactive way for retirees to learn SSA lingo and facts, and hopefully shed some light as they travel through the Social Security maze. As an added bonus, being a continual learner is a great way to exercise the brain.
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