I am signed up for Medicare and Social Security. I am officially old a senior citizen almost 65.

It took us two hours to get everything done, including me making a mad dash back home for my typed, delicate from age paper, 2 page birth certificate from Japan, which I was told I would not need. I was told that my official US State Department issued birth certificate was enough. Nope. They needed to see the typed one too.

I was told to bring our wedding license and my driver’s license. That was all I’d need but I did have a copy of my State Department issued Birth certificate with me but that wasn’t good enough for the information they needed for me. Glad I only had to make a quick 8 block run to get it and got the same parking space upon my return.

Thank goodness we had a very patient trainee who, in turn, was glad we were very patient. (She considered us a great learning experience.)

2 hours later I was signed up for my Medicare, SS and we were both issued new SS cards because our SS cards were close to falling apart.

So, here’s the deal for an easier time with the Social security office:

1. Make an appointment to go to your nearest SS office 3 months before your 65th birthday. If you just drop in you might wait hours to see someone.
2. Bring more documentation than they ask for–*birth certificate, driver’s license, wedding license.
3. Bring your spouse. As in my case, they do need to ask him/her questions too.
4. Bring you check book or bank statement. (For setting up direct deposit.)