US Social Security Administration

We were welcomed into the Sterling office by a very pleasant security guard, who helped us check in. We waited no more than ten minutes for Mary, who was friendly and professional and worked with us on an issue regarding my late mother that we were unable to get done by phone. She resolved it in five minutes. God bless Mary! ❤

I had a great experience at the Sterling SS office. I filed for retirement benefits. It was on a Wednesday morning, not busy at all. 2 others being assisted. Nice gentleman guard helped check me in. I watched him do the same for all others too. My wait was about 8 minutes to discuss my needs with a man and then about 12 more to meet with a nice woman named Debi that filed and authorized my claim in another 8 minutes. After working and waiting 50 years, I expected it to be more difficult. It was really painless and easy. Everyone was pleasant and helpful. Super good experience for me.

I am disabled and have difficulty ambulating(walking) , as soon as I got to the inside door the Security Guard opened it for me and assisted me in entering my information to receive a waiting #. I did not have to wait long and when I was called to the window I was waited on by Mary who was professional & courteous. I was assisted by John also who was kind , professional , helpful and courteous. When it was time to go , Ed , the Security Guard opened both doors for me on my way out and was very professional and polite. Thank you! It is very difficult to do things when you are disabled and it really makes a difference when you have personnel like this that are so helpful and kind.

I had a question about medicare payments coming out of my social security check and the person I spoke with at the Sterling office was very courteous and answered all my questions.

A terrific lady named Nora was super sweet and helpful. She went above and beyond to help me get signed up with all of my benefits. Thanks so much.

They were WONDERFUL!!!!!! I tried to do all my changes thru internet..a waste of 3 hours..then I connected by phone to "Ryan"..bless him!

Talked with mary today,she was super pleasant and understanding, eased my mind and helped me a great deal! Thankyou Mary!

Debbie was very helpful and efficient. Thank you!

Courteous people

Just made a call have questions about Medicaid. Lady was alittle short said "I asked questions wrong". She didn't explain soni could understand...

I went to the office this morning 8/7 ....the Security Guard who greeted me was very nice and the young man who then assisted me was very nice...(I'm currently receiving benefits from my deceased husband records and want to apply for my own) he told me they were just a small branch office and without an appointment they couldn't see me today. I didn't think in my situation I could apply online....but he told me that I could. I then drove back home (an hour) and applied online...however, when I submitted the form it said that I needed to take my marriage license to any social security office. So I got my marriage license and drove back down. I told the lady who helped me the situation. She asked me where I lived and when I told her Stillman Valley she said I was not in her area and should have taken the license to the Rockford office as they only service Lee, Whiteside and Stephenson counties (I think those are what she mentioned). She said I should take it to the Rockford office because they would just have to mail it to Rockford. I had looked up the SS office for Ogle County and it directed me to the Sterling office) I then asked her if she was able to enter the information since I had already spent 3 hours driving. She then made a copy of my marriage license and went back and checked with the retirement specialist. She brought my license back and indicated that the retirement specialist had entered the information into the system. She said that it's a good thing I brought it in the same day because otherwise it would've been in the Chicago office and there's nothing they can do about it. She said it would take at least 30 days to hear anything. Before I left I showed her on my phone that I was directed to the Sterling office when I looked up Ogle County...she said that there was nothing she can do about it that I needed to take it up with my representative as she was only a peon-employee. I didn't feel that statement or her attitude was necessary....especially since the application clearly stated that I could take the license to ANY social security office.

I was concerned FULLY disabled by the judge but got SSI instead of SSDI for few years then husband was disabled gets SSDI so they stopped my SSI why wasn't I getting SSDI from the beginning? If I FULLY DISABLED makes no sense said I can't have a income cuz his SSDI well I'm fully disabled so plz change mine to SSDI asap thanks

I just spoke with Nora at the Sterling Social Security office. She kept loudly sighing with questions I asked, or snapped back as if I was an idiot for asking the question. I have been a self-starter all my working life, having worked for the State of Illinois; also in insurance; and for the past 22 years I have been a very successful Real Estate Broker. I have also been very active politically in Presidential campaigns, also as Super Alternate Delegate to a National Convention of a political party, have been a state and national political fundraiser, and I was the Carroll County coordinator for the political campaign for a gubernatorial candidate. What about all the other people that contact Social Secuity who don't have a background in negotiations and public speaking? I cannot imagine how badly they must feel and how they are railroaded into things by pushy and mean Social Security staff. Nora treated me very poorly. If she were my employee talking with my clients like she talked to me, she would have been fired on the spot! One star is too good for Nora. Where is the zero stars option? #firenora

Very rude staff, website clearly states they cover Ogle County but the lady repeatedly said no youre wrong your wrong. How a federal office can turn you away is beyond me, but seems some don't know who pays the salary.

Our Social Security Cards were stolen, the website told me the information on my driver's license ISSUED by Illinois didn't match my motor vehicle information. I've been trying to get mine and my children's card, first I forgot to put in proof of who I am so I sent the temp license from the dmv a d told me it wouldn't work. This is ridiculous I need my ssc so I can get a job, they need a photocopy of it to put in my file. Just open the building a d do like everyone else and limit the number of people coming in, I could have had mine and my children's ssc by now if I could have gone in and done this rather than fight them through the mail.

I went there and got a VERY rude lady. I was trying to replace my children's s.s. cards....i didn't have the right documents. ..ok i understand this but when i was asking questions about what all i did need and so on she looked at me like i was crazy! She gave me weird looks! She really gave me a dirty look! And never answered me...just gave me a piece of paper saying here! The officer NEVER greeted me...never said hello or goodbye! I miss clinton iowas s.s. office! They were kind and nice when ever i went there and always answered my questions!

Worse place to go. Lady there did not want to help us. Started asking questions about everything and at the end nothing got resolved. We left empty handed. They seemed kind of racial. We ended up going to the Elgin location and they treated us great there. We got what we needed to get done real quick without a hassle.

Horrible rude hateful ugly women that would not let you talk and yelled at me when I didn't have what she needed to get my daughter's new card got aggravated slamming her hands on her desk I will not go back there. She needs sensitivity training or fired.