How reliable is the SSA-455 on line submission process?

[videonitekatt]

I've been reading conflicting reports regarding the on-line submissions for the SSA-455. I know they send an email after you fill it out to confirm an electronic signature. But I've heard stories of people submitting the form timely and getting second notices in the mail but did everything proper? Do they sent a confirmation after the electronic signature is accepted at the end of the process (and is the completed form printable to keep a record of it?)

Are they really that disorganized at the SSA that they can't coordinate on-line submissions with mailed one?

also, does it speed up the process, or is about the same? 

With poor coordination, I feel more comfortable doing it on line.

[Just Me]

SSA has several different computer systems. Not sure if that has anything to do with the timing.

[videonitekatt]

SSA has several different computer systems. Not sure if that has anything to do with the timing.

Well, I'd hate to have issues by submitting the form on line then get another notice in the mail becuase one system isn't working with another. So trying to see what some of the experiences have been using the on-line.

[newdawn]

I've been reading conflicting reports regarding the on-line submissions for the SSA-455. I know they send an email after you fill it out to confirm an electronic signature. But I've heard stories of people submitting the form timely and getting second notices in the mail but did everything proper? Do they sent a confirmation after the electronic signature is accepted at the end of the process (and is the completed form printable to keep a record of it?)

Are they really that disorganized at the SSA that they can't coordinate on-line submissions with mailed one?

also, does it speed up the process, or is about the same? 

With poor coordination, I feel more comfortable doing it on line.

I believe everyone I've read about on this forum who's used the online short form submission process and reported their experience and final outcome (including myself) found it easy and reliable except for one person whose post I've copied below. I do try to read all new posts so I think I would have remembered if anyone else had reported an issue but my memory is not perfect.

Hopefully others will chime in with their experiences. My experience was positive. Quick and easy and got my "approval" letter in the mail in about 5 weeks.

well the mystery for me is partially solved, either "A" i did something wrong sending online or "B" they somehow lost it, USPS Informed Delivery, same Short Form is coming today...EDIT...well now i know what happened last 3 times i got the 455 i was on my own number, well im on my fathers number and, online says enter number you receive benefits under, last time i filled it out i put my number...dummy me

[upndown]

I second what newdawn said, I would recommend filling the 455 online, it's easy and quick. The majority of people hear back from SSA within a month including myself.

You will get the following confirmation email:
SSA 455 Online Form has been Signed and Filed.

You're done signing SSA 455 Online Form. Open Agreement.

You can open the final document to review its activity history or download a copy for reference.


The agreement is fully executed. The sender of this agreement has control over the retention period for this agreement which determines the amount of time it will be available for download from Adobe Sign. Adobe recommends that you save a local copy of this fully-executed agreement for your records.

Hope that helps!

[videonitekatt]

Well, thanks for all the help (including one person who was VERY helpful) got it all figured out an filled it on line.

But I noticed when I entered my Social Security Number, once entered, I got a line of *********** in the field. Was this supposed to happen for security reasons? When I clicked on it, the number reappeared. Used Chrome browser.

The confirmed copy, printable once everything was done also had the SS numbers obscured but not clickable. All this for security?

[Helper]

Yes, it is a security feature to not show your whole social security number

[newdawn]

Well, thanks for all the help (including one person who was VERY helpful) got it all figured out an filled it on line.

But I noticed when I entered my Social Security Number, once entered, I got a line of *********** in the field. Was this supposed to happen for security reasons? When I clicked on it, the number reappeared. Used Chrome browser.

The confirmed copy, printable once everything was done also had the SS numbers obscured but not clickable. All this for security?

I checked my confirmed copy and it has the asterisks for SSN. Yes, probably for security. Some people may be using a public or shared computer and lord only knows where people are saving and printing/storing/discarding the completed copy if they choose to save/print it.

I assume security is also why they changed everyone's Medicare number to a random jumble of numbers and letters vs. just using your SSN plus a letter (which was the way it had been for ages). Also, full SSNs are usually NOT on any SSA paperwork mailed to you (though the SSA-454 long form notice I received from my local office had my full SSN handwritten on it as the "claim number").

This is somewhat historical (found the link in an old post of mine) but may be of interest:

Between 2001 and 2015, we removed the full SSN from two of our largest annual notice workloads: the Social Security Statements and Social Security COLA notices, which account for approximately one-third of the documents we mail each year.

On the Statement, we truncated the SSN and began displaying only the last four digits. This was a major step forward in protecting the SSN.

On the annual COLA notice, we began displaying a Beneficiary Notice Code (BNC). The BNC is an encrypted 13-character alphanumeric code, which is unique to each notice. Employees access a lookup tool to identify the beneficiary and associated records.

We also worked with the Department of the Treasury to remove the SSN from all Social Security and SSI benefit checks. Instead of the SSN, Treasury began including a check number assigned during payment processing.

2016-Present: Overpayment Remittance Forms and New or Modified Documents

In 2016, we convened an intra-agency workgroup to analyze options for removing the SSN from all agency documents, except those critical to delivering on our mission. The analysis resulted in an agency-wide decision to discontinue displaying the SSN on any new or modified notices.

https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/Removing%20Social%20Security%20Numbers%20from%20Mailed%20Documents%20FY%202017.pdf

[Facts]

I found it smooth as silk and the physical mail method was backwards circa 1980. At least try online once and then decide.