The Social Security Administration (SSA) serves two main functions. The one is to assign nine-digit Social Security numbers to United States citizens, permanent residents, and eligible nonimmigrant workers. The other is to manage government assistance programs for eligible individuals. This blog will focus on the latter. So without further ado, please continue reading to learn the different types of Social Security benefits possibly at your disposal and how an experienced New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur can help you determine which you can and should apply for.
What are the different types of Social Security benefits available to me?
Essentially, the SSA supports five types of benefits programs. Namely, these programs help those who require health insurance, those who have retired, those who have low income, those who have a disability, and those who are survivors of eligible individuals. More specific details of each program read as follows:
- The SSA’s Medicare program: this provides health insurance to individuals over the age of 65.
- The SSA’s retirement benefits program: this provides monthly payments to workers who need to replace a portion of their income when they retire.
- The SSA’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program: this provides monthly payments to individuals with little or no income or resources.
- The SSA’s Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits program: this provides monthly payments to individuals who cannot work due to a disability.
- The SSA’s survivor benefits program: this provides monthly payments to eligible family members of individuals who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their passing.
What are the qualification criteria for each benefit type?
Of note, the SSA uses federal criteria to determine eligibility for each of its provided programs. To reiterate, Medicare is offered to individuals over the age of 65. However, those with a qualifying permanent disability may also be eligible. In another example, you may be entitled to start receiving retirement benefits as early as age 62. But full retirement benefits kick in when you reach the full retirement age of 67 if you were born in 1960 or later.
As for the SSI benefits program, you cannot earn more than $1,971 per month as an individual or $2,915 per month as a couple to be eligible, as of 2024. But having a disability, being blind, or being 65 or older may also improve your eligibility. Then, for the SSDI benefits program, you must pass a recent work test and a duration work test. This is not to mention that you must have a disability explicitly disclosed on the SSA’s official list of impairments.
Lastly, with the survivor benefits program, you likely have to be a surviving spouse or child of an individual who worked and paid Social Security taxes. Then, you must have suffered a great financial loss upon their unfortunate passing (i.e., you are their dependent).
Whenever you are ready, please get a hold of a skilled New Jersey SSD attorney. Someone at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur will be patiently awaiting your phone call.
