> > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > I think it is important to remember that the main function of the Social > Security Administration is to see that the Social Security benefits are > properly administered, recorded, and disbursed. > Genealogical pursuits, as important as they are to us genealogists, must > necessarily take a back-seat to the primary business at hand. > Consequently, it is to be expected that our requests for copies of deceased > persons' SS-5 forms may take some time. Just be careful in your requests and > be sure that you have included all possible information so that you are not > disappointed. > > While we are on the subject, all of us should be aware that the SSDI "Social > Security Death Index" is a list which has been extracted from an official > Social Security Administration information release. The SSDI, in itself, IS > NOT AN OFFICIAL SSA document. Consequently, it is not advisable to request > information based on "according to the SSDI" or similar verbage. Simply cite > the dates as you find them on whatever reference material you are using in > your request for a copy of an SS-5 form. It is best NOT to mention the "SSDI" > > Hope this helps > > Frank I have to disagree with the content of this post, because the Social Security Administration does do its job of disburing, accounting, etc. of Social Security funds without any hinderance by reason of our genealogical requests....Firstly, we send our requests to the Freedom of Information Office..which was apparently opened with just such requests ( in addition to other non-genealogical research oriented requests) in mind, so as NOT to distract from the other, more important functions of the Administration in the offices where that stuff actually occurs.. Moreover, I would suggest that mentioning the Social Security Death Index actually HELPS you, instead of hinders you, in that it is a source generated by the very same Administration from whom you are asking further information, and it shows that you are not taking a "shot in the dark" and asking about someone who many not actually be dead, that you have in fact looked up the information prior to making the request. Of course they will verify that the person is dead anyway, but merely mentioning this source will not affect (or at least it should not) ones ability to obtain information from the SSA. I was more incensed that this information was available alot sooner than we all knew about, and only select companies or organizations were able to get such discs...and "we the people" had to either purchase them from a company making a huge profit on them, or travel a great distance to our nearest LDS to use their copy. This is about as bad as selling drivers license information. Now, this information is being given freely on the Net, as it should have been in the first place (well, at least distributed for free like the LDS was doing before the advent of the "Net") I know I paid alot for my very own set of Disks...I think it was'nt too many months later the info was free to anyone wanting it....UGH!