Question: I’m having trouble reaching the Social Security office to remedy an earnings/benefit issue. Is there any way to reach the local offices? Are they going to open the offices to in-person visits anytime soon?
Answer: Social Security offices are open to the public, but only by appointment and only for urgent matters. No date has been announced for resumption of walk-in service. In the meantime the Social Security Administration encourages people to create a My Social Security account at www.ssa.gov, saying that many tasks can be handled online; popular options are at www.ssa.gov/online services. Or you may seek assistance by phone, which also is how in-person appointments are scheduled.
The national Social Security Administration toll-free phone number is having trouble, with reports of poor call quality, dropped calls and long wait times. We had better luck getting through to Hawaii offices, although the phone sometimes rang a dozen times before a recorded greeting chimed in with instructions to hold for service. We emailed you the Hawaii numbers, and you replied the next day to say you’d gotten through “fairly quickly” and were able to resolve your problem over the phone. We’ve received similar questions from other readers, so we’ll share the phone numbers here. All are toll-free:
>> Honolulu: 855-572-4879
>> Kapolei: 855-572-4866
>> Hilo: 855-572-4860
>> Wailuku: 855-572-4863
>> Lihue: 855-572-4842
>> National: 800-772-1213
>> TTY: 800-325-0778
For readers who can’t resolve their problem online or over the phone and must be seen in person, be aware that COVID-19 protocols prevail in Social Security offices, which are part of the federal government.
Safety protocols apply to visitors, employees and guards at Social Security offices and include passing a health screening before entering, wearing a face mask and rescheduling your appointment if you have traveled outside the country by air in the past five days, been in close physical contact with anyone with COVID-19 in the past 10 days or have any symptoms of the disease yourself. Those are just some of the requirements, so be sure you know all the rules before showing up for your appointment.
Note: Online service for My Social Security is scheduled to be down tonight (starting at 7 p.m.) until 4 a.m. Saturday, Hawaii time.
Q: Any update on the abandoned vehicle in Halawa (808ne.ws/330kline)?
A: Yes, it’s gone. The city’s Motor Vehicle Control Branch “took action to get the truck removed,” Harold Nedd, a spokesman for the Department of Customer Services, said Thursday.
Q: I paid the final monthly payment on my 30-year mortgage last year but never received a copy of the deed showing that it is paid off. How do I get that?
A: You should have received a copy of your deed when you first purchased your property (during closing) and wouldn’t get another when you paid off the mortgage, according to Hawaii’s Bureau of Conveyances. However, you should get a “release” document showing that the mortgage has been paid in full. If you did not receive a release from your lender or its servicing company, you may order a copy from the BOC, assuming it has been recorded. Go to boc.ehawaii.gov/docsearch to search for documents by last name or document number dating back to 1976. Once you’ve found the file, look for “Instrument Code” R (for release), taking care to match the correct release to the correct mortgage, the BOC website says.
Mahalo
I want to thank Dawn, who got me out of an embarrassing situation at the Pali Momi Medical Center parking area March 25. She was such a lifesaver and would not accept my offer to pay her back. I wish her good health and hope to meet up with her again. — Mahalo, P.Y.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
