The Social Security Administration logo, representing the U.S. federal agency responsible for Social Security, is a circular emblem with a formal government design. The agency’s name appears in white uppercase serif letters around a dark blue ring. At the center, against a white background, is an eagle with its wings spread, rendered in smooth, curved blue lines. Beneath it are the red letters USA and vertical blue stripes resembling a shield. The main colors are dark blue, white and red. The current emblem was introduced in March 1995, when the agency regained its status as an independent federal agency. Before that, its visual identity had changed alongside its organizational structure and administrative affiliation.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent federal agency headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland. Its history began in 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act and the Social Security Board was established. The agency adopted its current name in 1946 and became an independent federal agency again in 1995. The SSA administers federal retirement and disability benefits, as well as survivor benefits for the families of deceased workers. It also provides supplemental financial assistance to low-income older adults and people with disabilities through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, assigns Social Security numbers, issues Social Security cards and handles enrollment in the Medicare health insurance program.
