Show me one man who wants to work all through their lifetime? Do you know any? I’m not sure such a person exists. We all desire a happy and stress-free life after retiring from active service.
While in active service, you might be living a life that was totally footed by your paycheck but have you ever thought of how you can sustain this same lifestyle even after retirement? Well, the social security benefit is there for you to achieve this.
For you to be eligible for social security benefits you need your social security card which contains your nine-digit number but like you know your social security card and its details should be treated with care.
But if you had replaced your social security card at some point in the past (maybe due to damage or any other reason) then you will know the process of replacement is a bit complex. This is why some tend to be extra with their cards after the first replacement.
This has caused many to have asked about various protective measures they can take to protect their social security cards. One of the measures proposed by some is laminating your card.
This begs the question: can you laminate your social security card? but before we delve into that let’s shed light on the benefits that lie in social security benefits.
Does social security Card matter?
Many may think it is unimportant to own a social security card but beyond the basic reasons like seeking college admission, opening a bank account, and others which requires your social security number, there are other reasons like:
- Social security benefit represents a large percentage of the income earned by the elderly population, according to a survey: about 50% of that population earns half of their income from social security benefits while a quarter of that population earns close to 100% of their income from the scheme. With that many are able to live above the poverty line even after retiring from active services.
- Earnings from social security benefits are not eroded by inflationary factors. Unlike other traditional-defined benefit plans, social security benefits keep pace with inflation, making sure people don’t fall into poverty as they age.
- Social security has proved to be a reliable source of income for aged people of colour living in the United States. According to a study, people of colour are 2 times more likely to enter the poverty line after retirement than their white counterparts. This is mostly due to the difficulty in getting high paying jobs.
Is it okay to laminate your social security card?
In simple terms, the answer is this practice is not recommended by the social security act as it is believed that lamination damages inbuilt security features that are present on the card.
However it is highly recommended that you can keep your card in anything so far it is removable and doesn’t damage your card.
Your card should be properly kept right at all times, never ever forget that.