What does the SSA do with the Form 8955-SSA?

The Social Security Administration (‘SSA’) uses the information to notify individuals that they may be eligible for a retirement benefit from a private retirement plan. When an individual reaches retirement age, the SSA sends the individual a letter telling the individual that he was previously reported to the SSA as

being entitled to receive a benefit from a private employer retirement plan in the future. Typically, the individual then contacts his prior employer for information. Sometimes this causes the prior employer some headaches if the individual was paid his benefit as a lump sum many years ago and the records are no longer readily available.