Benefit Programs Available Through the Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) offers a variety of benefit programs to help retirees, the disabled and the survivors left-behind after a family member’s death. While these programs are not designed to replace a working income in entirety, these programs provide some financial relief, and often health insurance, to individuals who qualify.

People are most familiar with the retirement benefits available through the SSA. These benefits are available to individuals who have paid into SSA’s retirement system. Approximately 96% of American workers pay into SSA’s retirement program. Generally speaking, you must have worked ten years to qualify for SSA retirement. It does not matter when this work was performed, as retirement benefits do not expire. Your retirement rate is dependent on how much you have paid into the system. For 2015, the maximum retirement rate that an individual can receive is $2,663. Individuals can collect a reduced retirement rate at 62 years of age. Full retirement age varies from person to person. If you were born between 1943 to 1954, your full retirement age is 66. Workers who reach full retirement age are also eligible for Medicare.

The SSA also provides Social Security Disability benefits to disabled workers. Often referred to as SSDI, Social Security Disability benefits are calculated based on what you have paid into the Social Security system. You must have worked a sufficient amount of quarters to be entitled to these benefits. There is a 5 month waiting period from the onset date of disability that must toll before you are entitled to these benefits. After you have been found disabled for a full 24 months on a Title II application, you will also receive Medicare benefits. The maximum amount of retroactive benefits you can receive in regards to a Title II claim, is one year prior to the initial application date. Unlike retirement benefits, SSDI benefits do expire.

The SSA also offers a “needs-based” program called Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”). To qualify, your countable resources cannot exceed more than $2000 as an individual and $3000 as a couple. Owning one automobile, one house and one wedding ring will not disqualify you from this program. The Federal payment amount is $733 for an eligible individual and $ 1100 for an eligible couple for the year 2015. There is no waiting period for Supplemental Security Income as is required for Social Security Disability benefits. Supplemental Security eligibility also entitles you to Medi-Cal in the state of California, sometimes referred to as Medicaid in other states. The earliest benefits can begin in a SSI case is from the date of application. 

A fourth type of benefit that the SSA offers is Children’s Insurance benefits (“CIB”). To be entitled to CIB, you must be 18 years or older. The onset of disability must have been prior to your 22nd birthday. You cannot have done any “significant” work following your 22nd birthday. You cannot be married to receive this benefit unless you are married to another individual entitled to this benefit. An application is based on the work record of either one of your parents who is deceased, retired or disabled and your parent must have met the Administration’s earnings requirements. You may never receive more than 80% of your parent’s prior estimated income amounts.

The SSA also offers Disabled Widow’s or Widower’s benefits. To qualify, you must be 50 years of age. You are eligible for Disabled Widow’s or Widower’s benefits even if you are not disabled once you reach the age of 60. If you were still married when your spouse’s death occurred, you would have had to have been married for at least 9 months. If you were divorced at the time of death, you would have to prove that you were married to the decedent for at least 10 years. The onset of your disability must have started no later than 7 years after the insured died or 7 years after the you were last entitled to your mother’s or father’s benefits or to Disabled Widow or Widower’s benefits based upon a disability. Similar to SSDI, Disabled Widow’s or Widower’s benefits are also subject to a 5 month waiting period.  

Finally, the SSA offers benefits to a decedent’s loved ones in certain circumstances. Referred to as Survivor’s benefits, eligibility is dependent on the relationship the survivor had with the decedent. Widows or widower’s, divorcees, children, stepchildren, adopted children, grandchildren, and parents who are dependent on the deceased for at least half of their support can potentially qualify for these benefits depending on the circumstances. To determine eligibility, you must notify the SSA of the death of your loved one. Typically, the funeral director will notify the SSA of a person’s death directly. The SSA will also want to see a death certificate as formal proof.

 As you can see, the SSA administers many programs in addition to retirement benefits. Please keep in mind that even if you meet the definition of several programs, SSA does offset its various entitlement programs. For instance, you cannot qualify for both retirement and SSDI. SSA will simply pay you the higher rate of the benefit program you are eligible for. In spite of these offsets, the SSA is a helpful resource for individuals going through various transitions in their lives. The various programs available through the SSA promise some sense of economic security to the disabled and the sick.

Our firm’s lawyers can answer questions regarding the disability programs administered through the SSA. Please call us at 800-459-3017 or e-mail us at megan@westcoastdisability.com with your questions.