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Social Security and Disability Benefits
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How do I apply for benefits? |
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To apply for benefits, contact
the Social Security
Administration (SSA) at
1-800-772-1213. They have a
TTY phone connection at
1-800-325-0778. You can ask
SSA to send you the correct
forms, and they can answer
questions you may have.
In order to qualify for
disability benefits, you must
be unable to perform work of
any kind and your disability
must be expected to last at
least one year or result in
death. You must also have
worked long enough (earned
certain number of "credits")
and recently enough under the
Social Security System. The
specific numbers depend on
individual situations.
The SSA receives numerous
applications for disability
benefits. Because of the
large volume of applications,
it can take a long period of
time to receive a decision.
If your application is
denied, you may appeal the
decision. A
multi-level appeal process is
built into the law. It
consists of 4 levels: a
reconsideration; a hearing
before an administrative law
judge; a review by the Appeals
Council; and a review by the
Federal court.
If you receive disability
benefits, the benefits won't
begin until the sixth full
month after the date the
Social Security Administration
decides the disability began.
In addition, you must wait
two years before you qualify
for Medicare coverage.
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How do I apply
for Supplemental Security
Income (SSI)?
To apply for benefits or
to ask questions, contact
the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
They have a TTY phone
connections as well at
1-800-325-0778.
Supplemental Security
Income is an income
assistance program
administered by the Social
Security Administration
for people who are elderly
(65 or older), blind, or
disabled (physical or
mental problem expected to
last at least one year or
result in death) who don't
have many assets (the
things you own are worth
less than $2,000) and who
don't earn much money
(less than $520/per month
if you don't work, and
$1,073/per month if you
work).
These amounts change
periodically. For the
most current, call SSA at
the above number.
You can generally expect
an answer on whether you
are eligible for
Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) within two to
six months.
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How do I
apply for retirement
benefits? |
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To apply for benefits or
to get more information
about the SSA retirement
program, call
1-800-772-1213. They
have a TTY phone
connection as well at
1-800-325-0778.
In order to be eligible
for retirement benefits, you have to
have enough "credits"
and have paid into
Social Security. The number of
credits needed to get retirement
depends on your date of birth. If
born in 1929 or later, 40 credits
(10 years of work) are needed.
People born before 1929 need fewer
than 40 crdits -39 credis if born in
1928; 38 credits if born in 1927;
etc).
You are eligible for SSA
retirement benefits when
you reach age 65
(however, beginning in
2003, the age at which
you can apply for
retirement benefits will
increase gradually from
65 to 67), but you can
apply early at age 62.
If you apply early, the
benefits you receive
will be reduced, but you
will receive them for a
longer time.
The amount you receive
depends on how much you
earned when you were
working.
You can also delay
applying for Social
Security retirement. If
you do so, your extra
income may increase your
benefit amount, and you
will receive a credit.
To find out more about
credit you may receive,
contact the Social
Security Administration
at 1-800-772-1213.
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