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Social Security in the U.S. Trivia Quiz

Love it or hate it, Social Security affects just about everyone in the United States. Let's see how much you know about this unique government program.

A multiple-choice quiz by lompocjoe. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
lompocjoe

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
269,963

Updated
Jun 01 23

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
747

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Social Security Act of 1935 was a program initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a way of insuring that retired persons received a pension in their 'senior' years. What was this act originally called? Hint

The Guaranteed Pension Plan

The Secure Retirement Act

The Economic Security Act

The Worker's Retirement Benefit Act

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Question 2 of 10

2. Between November 1936 and June 1937, more than 30 million Social Security applications were sent to employers, who then passed them on to their workers. Where did the workers have to return these applications ? Hint

Post Offices

To county courthouses

To their employer

They mailed them to the Social Security Administration

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Question 3 of 10

3. Speaking of social security numbers, which of these statements NOT accurate? Hint

Grace D. Owen of New Hampshire received the number 001-01-0001

Many people sincerely believe that some secret German group was influential in creating Social Security.

The assignment of Social Security card 000-00-0001 is yet to be made; there hasn't be anyone living in Sagacity Falls, VT since 1867 when the dairy farm exploded

The first three numbers generally (not always!) indicate the birthplace of the individual

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Question 4 of 10

4. Social Security has an independent budget that is not part of the budget of the rest of the federal government.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. When Social Security first began making payments to retired workers in 1940, how many more years could an average man look forward to beyond retirement age of 65? Hint

23.3 years

2.2 years

12.1 years

Sorry...in 1940 the average life expectancy of an American male was 61.6 years.

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these statements is true about Mr. John Sweeny? Hint

His Social Security number was declared to be the first 'official' number.

He was a Congressman from Idaho and did not participate in the Social Security program

Social Security continued to pay benefits to Mr. Sweeny even though he had been dead for fifteen years; his widow had to pay back $107.446.

In its first recorded 'goof', Social Security had given Mr. John Sweeny --a pet cat in the Kalamazoo (MI) Fire Department-- a Social Security number.

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Question 7 of 10

7. Mr. Ernest Ackerman was officially declared the first recipient of Social Security retirement benefits. How much did he receive? Hint

$5.95

$10.45

17 cents

$67.23

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Question 8 of 10

8. Miss Ida May Fuller, of Vermont, had better luck with Social Security. She reached the magic retirement age of 65 and became the first citizen to begin
collecting regular monthly payments. How much had she contributed to Social Security while she had been employed? Hint

$24.75

29 cents

She never paid a dime into Social Security

$756.89

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Question 9 of 10

9. Several years ago, Social Security began a program to celebrate Mother's Day. What is this eagerly awaited event? Hint

Listing the favorite baby names for boys and girls

A special 'Congratulations' card signed by the President is sent to mothers beginning their retirement

Are you kidding? Social Security doesn't have time for 'special events.'

Mothers do not have to pay Social Security taxes during the month of May.

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Question 10 of 10

10. Despite wide-spread opposition, California created something on January 1, 1930, that did what? Hint

Told the Federal Government, through its spokesman, Upton Sinclair, that there was no way California was going to participate in such a cockamamie scheme as Social Security

Gave citizens the right to retire at age 60 at half of their annual income...not really a big deal since the average hourly rate of pay was 43 cents

Established the first mandatory Old-Age Pension Law to insure its citizens would be taken care of financially after age 65

Placed limits on the amount of money physicians could charge patients over the age of 65

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: The Economic Security Act

Abraham Epstein, the president of the American Association for Social Security, is credited with coining the phrase 'social security.' While the Economic Security Act was being debated in Congress, the name of it was changed by members of the House of Representatives.

Answer: Post Offices

A program of this magnitude had never before been attempted by any government. In order to handle the millions of completed applications, it was decided that the more than 45,000 post offices were the most visible government offices available to most Americans, and a 'typing center' was established in most of them.

The post office typing centers were originally responsible for assigning social security numbers.

3. Speaking of social security numbers, which of these statements NOT accurate?

Answer: The assignment of Social Security card 000-00-0001 is yet to be made; there hasn't be anyone living in Sagacity Falls, VT since 1867 when the dairy farm exploded

The German question is still being debated by extremists on both sides who claim that both Social Security and the Pledge of Allegiance were created by some quasi-German secret society. Ms. Owen did receive the unique number, but only after two other people declined it.

In 1972, a new law required children to receive a Social Security number shortly after their birth. Since many families are mobile these days, the first three numbers refer to the geographic location of the person's birth, not--as was the case prior to 1972--the state where they first applied themselves for a number.

4. Social Security has an independent budget that is not part of the budget of the rest of the federal government.

Answer: True

Because of this independence from Federal budget woes, the Social Security fund has always maintained high surpluses ranging from between $89 million and $153 billion. However (you knew this was coming, didn't you?), the President may 'borrow' from these surpluses, but the law demands that the loans must be paid back, with interest.

5. When Social Security first began making payments to retired workers in 1940, how many more years could an average man look forward to beyond retirement age of 65?

Answer: Sorry...in 1940 the average life expectancy of an American male was 61.6 years.

The life expectancy of American males has continued to increase and as of 2003, us old geezers could look forward to reaching our 74th birthday.

6. Which of these statements is true about Mr. John Sweeny?

Answer: His Social Security number was declared to be the first 'official' number.

In November 1936, the commissioner of the Social Security Administration's Division of Accounting Operations reached into a bowl and withdrew card number 055-09-0001 -- Mr. Sweeny's number. The commissioner declared it to be the first 'official' Social Security record. Mr. Sweeny died at age 61, too early to collect any benefits.

7. Mr. Ernest Ackerman was officially declared the first recipient of Social Security retirement benefits. How much did he receive?

Answer: 17 cents

In January 1937, Mr. Ackerman, who contributed to the Social Security program for one day and paid five cents in Social Security taxes, was presented with a check for 17 cents as a one-time only lump-sum payment covering the time between the establishment of Social Security and his retirement. It is not known what Mr. Ackerman did with his 17 cents.

8. Miss Ida May Fuller, of Vermont, had better luck with Social Security. She reached the magic retirement age of 65 and became the first citizen to begin collecting regular monthly payments. How much had she contributed to Social Security while she had been employed?

Answer: $24.75

In the early days of Social Security, employees who had begun paying into the new program shortly before their retirement, made out like bandits. Miss Fuller received $22,888.92 in benefit checks (by the time she died at age 100), a pretty good investment of her $24.75 contributions.

9. Several years ago, Social Security began a program to celebrate Mother's Day. What is this eagerly awaited event?

Answer: Listing the favorite baby names for boys and girls

Based on Social Security applications, the top five boys names of 2006 (Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Ethan, Matthew) represented quite a change from names listed in 1956 (Michael, James, Robert, David, and John.) In 2006, the top 5 girls names were Emily, Emma, Madison, Isabella, and Ava; their 1956 counterparts were Mary, Debra, Linda, Deborah, and Susan). Among the names somehow overlooked in the 2006 listing: Apple, Pilot Inspektor, Kal-el, Pax, Suri, Phinneaus, and Tallulah.

10. Despite wide-spread opposition, California created something on January 1, 1930, that did what?

Answer: Established the first mandatory Old-Age Pension Law to insure its citizens would be taken care of financially after age 65

Although the noted California Socialist and muckraking author Upton Sinclair bitterly opposed the encroachment of government into the medical and financial lives of its elderly citizens, California decided not to wait for Congress to end its dithering over the program and established its own version of Social Security.

Source: Author lompocjoe

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