Your Social Security Benefits Questions: Social Security Credits
Posted by admin on Jan 26, 2010
Your Social Security Benefits Questions: Social Security Credits
Q: Social Security tells me that I don’t have enough credits to qualify for benefits. What are Social Security credits, and how can I not have enough of them when I’ve worked and paid taxes for years?
A: When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits that are used to qualify you for social security benefits. The number of credits you receive is based on both income and the number of years worked. With each year that passes, the amount of money you need to make in order to earn social security credits rises; in 2008, it is one credit for $1,050 of earnings. You can receive a maximum of four credits annually (which is why credits are also called ‘quarters’), and any credits you earn will remain on your record even during periods in which you’re not working.
A certain number of credits or quarters are required in order to qualify you to receive social security benefits. The number of credits you need for social security is based on your current age, and is calculated by the number of years you have worked. If you’re looking to be eligible for social security benefits for retirement (and are of more than 62 years of age), you will need to have 40 credits (the equivalent of 10 years of work).
However, it can happen that a person who has worked a seemingly appropriate number of years does not gain the necessary credits for social security benefits. This occurs to workers who, during their working careers, did not (or do not) have social security taxes taken out of their wages. In general, this sort of situation occurs with Federal employees who were hired before 1984, employees of railroads who have more than ten years of service, and the employees of governments (both state and local) which have chosen not to participate in the social security program.
Your Family’s Social Security Questions, Answered
Posted by admin on Jan 23, 2010
Financial dependability (and eligibility for social security benefits) of a stepchild, on the other hand, will only determined when that child lives with you and shares with you a parent and child relationship. As a guideline, your husband or wife’s legitimate child, adopted child, or illegitimate child will be considered your step child. This step child will remain eligible for benefits after the death of or divorce from their natural parent (your spouse), as long as the child continues to live with you in a regular parent and child relationship. Social security attorney.
In any of the above cases, you can provide proof of your relationship to your child. In addition, you can also decide to give evidence that you do not live in a parent child relationship with the child; that is, you neither live with the child nor support him or her financially. This will make the child ineligible for benefits. More information.
Will Hiring a Social Security Lawyer Speed Up My Claim?
Posted by admin on Jan 6, 2010
Q:. Am I eligible for disability benefits, if I suffer from occasional seizures?
A: Not all applications for Social Security disability involving seizures are approved. The two factors that determine whether you qualify are how often the seizures occur, and if you are following the prescribed medication and treatment recommended by your doctor. Seizures that are categorized as major motor seizures must happen once a month or more and must occur during the day. Minor motor seizures must occur once a week or more. You must prove that you have been following the prescribed medication and therapies recommended by your doctor. Your application for benefits will not be approved if there is any evidence that you have not been following the recommended treatments and medications. You will need to provide a copy of your EEG and copies of your medical records. A social security lawyer may be helpful in determining if your specific situation meets the guidelines of the Social Security Administration.
Q: Why does it take so long for my claim to be processed?
A: Unlike applications for other federal programs, the Social Security office has no required timeline for processing applications for disability. For applications that were complete and filed correctly, the average processing time is about 4 months. That means that within 3 or 4 months, you should be notified via letter whether or not your application was approved. Your application goes through a handful of steps as it is processed by the Social Security Administration. Once a disability examiner is assigned to your case, he must wait to receive your medical records before he can begin his review. Waiting for requested medical records is what causes most application delays. After reviewing your medical records, the examiner provides a synopsis of your case and passes it along to a medical specialist for consultation. The file will be given back to the examiner after the medical specialist provides his expert opinion. After that, a final decision about your case is rendered and you will be given written notification of the status (approved or denied) of your case. You may choose to submit your file for reconsideration, if you were not approved initially. In that case, your application will go through the same process with a different disability examiner and medical consultant. If your application is denied after reconsideration and you wish to appeal, it is wise to have a social security lawyer on your side. You may have to appear in court to defend your case.
Q: Can I speed up the process by hiring a lawyer?
A: Applying for disability with the Social Security Administration can be an arduous process. Many applications must be filed again, after they were initially submitted with errors or missing information. A social security lawyer can help you navigate the process and assure that you have provided all the necessary components for your application. This will allow you to file your claim correctly and more quickly than if you had to do it all on your own. About 70 percent of applications filed are denied. A social security lawyer may have helped in many of those cases. An attorney is usually recommended if your application is denied and you plan to appeal or have your case reconsidered.