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pdfPrenotice Postcard
Dear Future Social Security Customer:
Social Security expects a growing retirement population in the coming years, one that
may want to do business with us differently from the people we now serve. That’s why
we are asking you to participate in a survey to tell us about your preferences and
expectations for good service.
In a few days, you will receive a questionnaire in the mail from [Contractor], who is
conducting the survey for Social Security. As you will see, the questionnaire covers a
wide variety of topics, such as planning to file for retirement benefits, how you want to
be able to contact us, and what kinds of services you think we should have available.
Please watch your mail for the envelope from [Contractor]. We hope that you will take
the time to answer our questions and help us serve you well in the future. We look
forward to hearing your opinions.
Michelle A. King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Looking Ahead: How Should Social Security Serve You?
BEFORE YOU START:
Do you currently receive, or have you applied for Social Security benefits of any kind in the last 5 years?
Mark one answer.
Yes
STOP!
No
CONTINUE READING.
You do not need to complete this survey. Please leave the rest of the survey blank and
return it in the enclosed envelope with only this box marked. Thank you for your time.
ABOUT OUR SURVEY
Social Security expects an increasing number of people to retire in the coming years. Many of these people
may want to do business with us differently from the people we now serve. To prepare for the future, Social
Security needs your help! This survey asks about planning to file for retirement benefits, your expectations for
good service, how you want to be able to contact Social Security, and what kinds of services you think we
should have available.
•
If you have trouble filling out this questionnaire, you may have someone help you. The answers you give,
however, should be based only on your own feelings and opinions about your future interactions with Social
Security and about good customer service. The survey should take about 20 minutes to finish.
•
Answer all questions as directed. You may be told to skip over some questions. When that happens, you will see
an arrow with a note telling you what question to answer next:
Example:
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 1.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MARKING YOUR ANSWERS
•
Use a pen with blue or black ink or a number 2 pencil.
•
Do not use a pen with ink that soaks through the paper.
GETTING READY FOR RETIREMENT
1.
One of the tools people can use to get ready for retirement is the Social Security Statement. It shows your Social
Security earnings for all the years that you worked and an estimate of your future benefit amount. Do you remember
getting a Social Security Statement?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 4.
2.
How did you get your Social Security Statement?
Mark one answer.
3.
It came in the mail from Social Security
I used a “my Social Security” account to get one on Social Security’s website
Both through the mail and on Social Security’s website
How would you rate the usefulness of the Social Security Statement?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very useful” and
5 means “not at all useful.”
I found the Social Security Statement …………………………
4.
Very
Useful
1
2
3
Not at all
Useful
4
5
Social Security has another tool online, the Retirement Benefit Estimator (http://www.ssa.gov/estimator/), that you
can use to find out how much your monthly retirement benefit will be. Have you ever used the online Retirement
Benefit Estimator?
Mark one answer.
5.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 6.
How would you rate the usefulness of the Retirement Benefit Estimator?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very useful” and
5 means “not at all useful.”
I found Social Security’s online Retirement Benefit Estimator
…………………………………………………………………
6.
Very
Useful
1
2
3
Not at all
Useful
4
5
Besides the Social Security Statement or the online Retirement Benefit Estimator, have you ever gotten any other
information about Social Security retirement benefits?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 8.
2
7.
Where did you get that information?
Mark all answers that apply.
Spoke to a Social Security employee on the phone or in person
Social Security’s website
Website other than Social Security’s
Senior citizens organization, such as AARP
Accountant or financial advisor
Employer or union
Friends or relatives
Local seminars or meetings
Traditional media (newspaper, magazine, TV, or radio)
Social networking site like Facebook or Twitter
Government agency other than Social Security
Someplace else Please explain: ___________________________________________
YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS
8.
Currently, are you employed full-time, part-time, or are you not employed for pay?
Mark one answer.
9.
Full time
Part time
Not currently employed for pay
At what age do you plan to stop (or did you stop) working?
Mark one answer.
Before Age
62
62 – 65
66 – 67
At 68 or older
No plans to
stop working
I plan to stop (or I stopped) working….
10. The various options for claiming Social Security retirement benefits are displayed in the table below. After reviewing
these options, please mark the box that best describes when you plan to claim benefits.*
At Age 62
Between 62
and your Full
Retirement Age
At your Full
Retirement Age
66 or 67
Between your Full
Retirement Age and
Age 70
At Age 70
or Older
Maximum reduction
in monthly benefit
Some reduction in
monthly benefit
Full unreduced
monthly benefit
Some increase in
monthly benefit
Maximum increase in
monthly benefit
*For more information about these options go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/applying1.htm.
3
YOUR PREFERENCES FOR DOING BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL SECURITY IN THE FUTURE
For questions 11-14, please mark your first (1) and second (2) choice to indicate how you would like to contact
Social Security in the future for the type of business described.
Select one method of contact as your first choice and one as your second choice for each type of business.
11. For the following business you might have right now, how would you prefer to contact Social Security?
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a
Local Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
To replace a lost Social Security card, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
To correct mistakes in earnings on my Social Security record, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
12. Now imagine that you are getting ready to retire in a year or two. How would you prefer to contact Social Security to
get information about retiring?
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a
Local Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
To get information from Social Security, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
13. After you get all the information you need and you are ready to apply for retirement benefits, how would you prefer to
contact Social Security in connection with your application?
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a
Local Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
To actually complete the application for retirement benefits, I would prefer…
First choice
Second choice
4
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a
Local Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
To schedule an appointment to speak with someone about my application, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
To check on my application while it’s being processed, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
14. Now imagine that you are receiving retirement benefits from Social Security. For business related to the Social
Security benefit you are receiving, such as changing your address or getting a statement of the total benefits you
received in the last year, how would you prefer to contact Social Security?
An Automated
Phone Service
An Agent on a
National tollfree Number
An Agent on a
Local Phone
Number
A Visit to a
Local Office
Regular Mail
Internet or
Email
To change information on my Social Security records, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
To get information from my Social Security records, I would prefer …
First choice
Second choice
YOUR PREFERENCES FOR SOCIAL SECURITY’S PHONE SERVICE
15. A common method of conducting business with Social Security is by phone, both through automated systems and
talking with an agent. Although it may not have been your first or second choice in questions 11-14, do you think you
would ever call Social Security to conduct your business in the future?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 21.
5
16. Social Security uses an automated phone system to direct callers to agents and to provide some services. Listed
below are some features that people may associate with good automated phone service. We are interested in
which ones are most important to you.
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very important” and
5 means “not as important.”
Very
Important
Not As
Important
1
2
3
4
5
Ability to use more than one service without having to call back…………………
Ability to speak to an agent or have an agent call me back……………………….
Ability to get general information about Social Security through an automated
service…………………………………………………………………………………..
Ability to get personal information about my Social Security record through an
automated service……………………………………………………………………..
Ability to use an automated phone service to schedule an appointment……….
Ability to take care of my business completely through an automated phone
service…………………………………………………………………………………..
A receipt or confirmation that my action or change has been successfully
received…………………………………………………………………………………
Automated services available on nights and weekends as well as normal
business hours…………………………………………………………………………
17. Social Security strives to have helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable agents on its phone lines, and to serve you
quickly. Listed below are some other features that people may associate with good phone service when talking to
an agent. We are interested in which ones are most important to you.
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very important” and
5 means “not as important.”
Very
Important
Not As
Important
1
2
3
4
5
An estimate of how long my wait on hold will be…………………………………...
Ability to transfer to the right agent to handle my business without having to
call back…………………………………………………………………………………
Ability to complete my business with only one call…………………………………
Ability to speak to the same agent if I have to call more than once to complete
my business…………………………………………………………………………….
Ability to ask an agent to call me back………………………………………………
Ability to have the agent schedule an appointment for me………………………..
Agents available on nights and weekends as well as normal business hours….
6
18. When you call Social Security, would you prefer to speak to an agent on the national toll-free number or in a local
office?
Mark one answer.
National toll-free number
Local office
SKIP to Question 20 .
No preference
19. Please briefly explain the reason for your preference:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Now we would like to know your definition of timely phone service. For the following actions, please mark the
box that best describes the amount of time you think is reasonable to wait.
A reasonable time for me to wait:
To speak to an agent on the
phone is …………………………..
A reasonable time for me to wait:
For an agent to call me
back when I leave a phone
message is …………………………
Less than
1 minute
1 to 3
minutes
4 to 5
minutes
6 to 10
minutes
11 to 20
minutes
More than
20 minutes
Less than
1 hour
More than 1
hour but
same day
Next day
2 to 3 days
More than
3 days
A week or
more
YOUR PREFERENCES FOR SOCIAL SECURITY’S IN-OFFICE SERVICE
21. People can also choose to visit their local Social Security office. Although it may not have been your first or second
choice in questions 11-14, do you think you would ever visit an office to conduct your business with Social Security in
the future?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 24.
7
22. Social Security knows that it is important to have convenient, comfortable offices with helpful, courteous, and
knowledgeable agents who serve you quickly. Listed below are some other features that people may associate with
good in-office service. We are interested in knowing which are most important to you.
Very
Important
Mark an answer from 1 to 5,
where 1 means “very important” and 5 means “not as important.”
Not As
Important
1
2
3
4
5
Office I can easily reach by public transportation…………………………………..
Office I can easily reach by car…………………………………..…………………..
Office with convenient parking…………………………………..……………………
An estimate of how long I’ll have to wait to be seen.………………………………
A separate line in the office for simple business, like dropping off documents or
other information…………………………………..…………………………………...
Ability to complete my business with only one visit………………………………...
Ability to see the same agent if I have to visit more than once to complete my
business………………………………………………………………………………...
Offices open on nights and weekends as well as normal business hours………
23. Now we would like to know your definition of timely in-office service. For the following actions, please mark the
box that best describes the amount of time you think is reasonable to wait.
Same day
Next day
About
2-3 days
About
1 week
About
2 weeks
More than
2 weeks
Less than
5 minutes
5 to 10
minutes
11 to 20
minutes
21 to 30
minutes
31 to 45
minutes
More than
45 minutes
To be seen in an office without an
appointment is ……………………..
To be seen in an
office with an appointment is
……………
A reasonable time for me to wait:
To get an appointment in a local
office is ……………………………
A reasonable time for me to wait:
8
24. In some instances, Social Security offers in person service “virtually.” Using video equipment, a person can see and
speak to a Social Security employee working in a different location. The video equipment may be located in a Social
Security office, or in other public places like a library or community center. If Social Security offered you the
opportunity to use this video service, how likely would you be to do that?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very likely” and
5 means “not at all likely.”
Very
Likely
Not At
All Likely
1
2
3
4
5
For me, using video service for Social Security business is ….
YOUR PREFERENCES FOR DOING SOCIAL SECURITY BUSINESS VIA INTERNET AND EMAIL
25. Internet and email are other ways people may want to do business. Although they may not have been your first or
second choices in questions 11-14, do you think you would ever use the Internet or email to contact or do business
with Social Security in the future?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 30.
26. Listed below are some features that people may associate with good Internet and email service. We are interested
in which ones are most important to you when doing business with Social Security.
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very important” and 5 means
“not as important.”
Very
Important
Not As
Important
1
2
3
4
5
Ability to send personal information via secure email……………………………
Ability to view personal information on a secure website………………………….
Ability to use the Internet or email to schedule an appointment………………….
Downloadable forms that I can print and mail to Social Security…………………
Online forms that I can fill out and send electronically to Social Security………
Internet services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week……………………….
Ability to “chat” with an agent to get immediate help with Social Security’s
Internet services………………………………………………………………………..
Ability to call an agent to get immediate help with Social Security’s
Internet services………………………………………………………………………..
An email or other electronic confirmation that my action or change has been
successfully received………………………………………………………………….
9
27. Now we would like to know your definition of timely Internet/email service. For the following action, please mark
the box that best describes the amount of time you think is reasonable to wait.
A reasonable time for me to wait:
Less than
1 hour
More than 1
hour but
same day
Next day
2 to 3 days
More than
3 days
A week or
more
To get a response when I ask
a question via email or the
Internet is …………………………
28. For certain types of business on Social Security’s website, people must verify their identity through our online
authentication process. In addition to providing your name and Social Security number, how comfortable would you
be providing each item below in order to do business electronically with Social Security?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very comfortable”
and 5 means “not at all comfortable.”
Very
Comfortable
Not At All
Comfortable
1
2
3
4
5
Your current address………………………………………………………...
Your date of birth……………………………………………………………..
Your place of birth……………………………………………………………
Your mother’s maiden name………………………………………………..
Your driver’s license number………………………………………………..
Part of your bank account number…………………………………………
Part of your credit card number…………………………………………….
Other personal information from your records, such as previous
addresses or phone numbers……………………………………………….
29. To verify your identity, Social Security would need to match the personal information you give against other records.
Listed below are different kinds of records that Social Security could match with. How comfortable would you be with
each?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very comfortable” and
5 means “not at all comfortable.”
Very
Comfortable
Not At All
Comfortable
1
2
3
4
5
Checking against Social Security’s own records………………………….
Checking against records from other Federal agencies, like the
Internal Revenue Service………………………….………………………..
Checking against records from other State and local government
agencies, like motor vehicle departments…………………………………
Checking against records from private companies, like banks or
credit bureaus………………………….………………………….………….
10
PRIVACY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
30. No matter how you choose to do business with us, in person, by phone, or online, Social Security takes great care to
protect your personal information. How confident are you that the information in your Social Security records is
secure?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very confident” and
5 means “not at all confident.”
I would rate my level of confidence in the security of my Social
Security records as…………………………………………………………..
Very
Confident
1
2
3
4
Not at all
confident
5
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOU
31. To better understand your answers, Social Security would like to know a little more about you. Do you currently use
the Internet?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 41.
32. How would you rate your level of experience using the Internet?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very experienced” and
5 means “not at all experienced.”
I would rate my level of experience using the Internet as ………………….
Very
Experienced
1
2
3
4
5
33. How do you access the Internet? Do you use:
Mark one answer.
Only a personal or laptop computer
Only a wireless handheld device like a smartphone or tablet
Both a personal or laptop computer and a wireless handheld device
11
Not At All
Experienced
34. The list below describes different activities people can do on the Internet using a personal/laptop computer or a
wireless handheld device. Please tell us whether you do each of the online activities listed below often, sometimes,
or never using the type of device shown.
Mark one answer for each item.
Often
Sometimes
Never
Using a personal or laptop computer, I…
Send email…………………………..
Look for information online………...
Make purchases online………........
Bank or pay bills online………........
Live chat online……………….........
Use Facebook, Twitter, etc. ………
Mark one answer for each item.
Often
Sometimes
Never
Using a wireless handheld device, I…
Send email…………………………..
Look for information online………...
Make purchases online………........
Bank or pay bills online………........
Live chat online……………….........
Use Facebook, Twitter, etc. ………
35. One other type of business people can do online is file an application, for example, a loan or insurance application.
Have you ever filed any type of application online?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
36. Social Security offers a service called “my Social Security” (www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount) where people can
create a secure online account with a user name and password to conduct various types of business. For example,
people can view a record of their earnings and get an estimate of their monthly benefit online. Have you already
created your “my Social Security” account?
Mark one answer.
Yes
SKIP to Question 38.
No
12
37. How likely would you be to create a “my Social Security” account?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very likely” and
5 means “not at all likely.”
For me, creating a “my Social Security” account for Social
Security business is ………………………....
Very
Likely
Not At
All Likely
1
2
3
4
5
38. Social Security also offers an online application on its website that people can use to file for retirement benefits.
When you are ready to file, how likely would you be to use Social Security’s Internet application?
Mark an answer from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very likely” and
5 means “not at all likely.”
For me, filing for Social Security’s retirement benefits over the
Internet is …………………………………………………………..…
Very
Likely
Not At
All Likely
1
2
3
4
5
39. What is the main reason why you might be likely to use the online retirement application?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Can do it any time of day
Can take as much time as I need
Don’t have to wait to speak to someone, either on the phone or in person
Don’t have to travel to the office
Can have all my records at hand or can look something up if I need to
Some other reason you might use it Please explain:___________________________________
Can’t think of any reason why I would use it
40. What is the main reason why you might not be likely to use the online retirement application?
Mark ONLY one answer.
Easier to understand things explained by a person
Can get questions answered right away by a person
Concerned about security and/or privacy of my information
Computer is too old/Internet service is too slow
Don’t have the necessary computer skills or experience
Concerned online application might be too hard, complicated
Some other reason you might not use it Please explain: _____________________________
Can’t think of any reason why I wouldn’t use it
41. Because of a medical condition, people sometimes need special accommodations to handle their Social Security
business. Whether you choose to do business with Social Security in person, on the phone, or online, would you
need Social Security to provide special accommodations because of a medical condition?
Mark one answer.
Yes
No
SKIP to Question 43.
13
42. Would you need special accommodations because of a:
Mark all answers that apply.
Physical impairment (for example, wheelchair access)
Visual impairment (for example, large print or Braille documents)
Hearing impairment (for example, sign language interpreter or video relay)
Other impairment (for example, a learning disability)
43. And for the final question, what is the highest level of education you have completed?
Mark one answer.
Not a high school graduate
High school graduate or GED
Trade/technical/vocational school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Graduate degree or postgraduate training
44. If you have any other comments for Social Security, please provide them here:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thank you for your time and attention with this survey. Social Security will use your answers to plan
for the future! Please return the completed questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope as soon as possible to:
Social Security Survey
ICF International
980 Beaver Creek Drive, Martinsville VA, 24112
PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
The Social Security Administration is authorized to
collect the information for this survey under Executive
Order 12862, “Setting Customer Service Standards.”
Your response to these questions is strictly voluntary.
The information you provide will be used to help us
improve the service that we give you. Your response
will not be disclosed to any other government or private
agency.
OMB Control No: 0960-0526
Expiration Date: TBD
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT
This information collection meets the requirements of
44 U.S.C. § 3507, as amended by Section 2 of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You do not need to
answer these questions unless we display a valid Office
of Management and Budget control number. We
estimate that it will take about 20 minutes to read the
instructions, gather the facts and answer the questions.
You may send comments on our time estimate above to:
Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Blvd.,
Baltimore, MD 21235-6401.
Send only comments relating to our time estimate to this
address, not the completed form.
14
Initial Cover Letter
Dear Future Social Security Customer:
As I noted in my recent postcard, Social Security is conducting a survey to help prepare
for the expected increase in the retirement population in the coming years. You are one
of only a small number of people across the country age 50 to 64 who were chosen to
receive the enclosed questionnaire. While you are not required to respond, your opinions
are very valuable. Your answers will help us make important decisions about how Social
Security can best serve you.
Please be assured that [Contractor], who is conducting this survey for us, will only give
your responses to my staff here at Social Security and will not use them for any other
purpose. Social Security will report the survey results by summarizing the answers of
everyone who takes the survey; we will not report any individual responses. The barcode
on this survey is only used to let us know whether you have returned your survey, so we
don’t send you reminder letters.
Please return your completed survey as soon as possible in the postage-paid envelope
provided.
If you have a question about Social Security benefits, please visit our web site at
www.socialsecurity.gov or call our toll-free information line at 1-800-772-1213.
We appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our survey.
Sincerely,
Michelle A. King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Enclosures
FOLLOW-UP POST CARD
SURVEY REMINDER
About two weeks ago [Contractor] sent you a questionnaire to find out how you would
like to do business with Social Security in the future.
•
•
•
If you have already mailed back your completed questionnaire, we thank you
for your quick response.
However, if you have not yet returned the questionnaire, we would appreciate
it if you could take some time to complete it and send it back as soon as possible.
If you no longer have the questionnaire, you don’t need to do anything.
[Contractor] will be mailing another one to you shortly.
Thank you for sharing your opinions with us.
Michelle A. King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Follow-up Cover Letter
Dear Future Social Security Customer:
Several weeks ago [Contractor] sent you a survey questionnaire designed to help Social Security
prepare to serve the country’s growing retirement population. We haven’t yet heard from you
and it’s very important that we gather opinions from as many people as possible. If you recently
mailed in your completed questionnaire, please discard this letter. We sincerely appreciate your
help and look forward to receiving your response.
However, if you have not yet returned your questionnaire, we ask that you take some time now
to complete it and send it back. For your convenience, we have enclosed another questionnaire
along with a postage-paid return envelope.
Please be assured that [Contractor], who is conducting this survey for us, will only give your
responses to my staff here at Social Security and will not use them for any other purpose. Social
Security will report the survey results by summarizing the answers of everyone who takes the
survey; we will not report any individual responses.
If you have a question about Social Security benefits, please visit our web site at
www.socialsecurity.gov or call our toll-free information line at 1-800-772-1213.
We would appreciate receiving your completed survey as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Michelle A. King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Enclosures
Closeout Letter
Dear Future Social Security Customer:
Recently we mailed you a survey questionnaire to find out how you would like to do business
with Social Security in the future. If you have already completed and returned the questionnaire,
please accept our sincere thanks.
If you have not yet had time, we hope you will turn to it right away. We are wrapping up the
survey and would like to include your opinions, but we need your quick response. We think it’s
extremely important to hear from everyone who was selected to participate in this survey.
Please be assured that [Contractor], who is conducting this survey for us, will only give your
responses to my staff here at Social Security and will not use them for any other purpose. Social
Security will report the survey results by summarizing the answers of everyone who takes the
survey; we will not report any individual responses.
If you have a question about Social Security benefits, please visit our web site at
www.socialsecurity.gov or call our toll-free information line at 1-800-772-1213.
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Michelle A. King
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management
Social Security Administration
Enclosures
| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | 253865 |
| File Modified | 2016-09-27 |
| File Created | 2016-09-27 |