Social Security Table » Survivors http://social-security-table.com Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:53:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Reminiscing the Social Security Law in the US http://social-security-table.com/reminiscing-the-social-security-law-in-the-us/ http://social-security-table.com/reminiscing-the-social-security-law-in-the-us/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:51:09 +0000 admin http://social-security-table.com/reminiscing-the-social-security-law-in-the-us/ Jamil Estorninos asked: 1

It is the Great Depression of the ‘30s that necessitates the creation of a Social Security program in the US. Poverty reaches its highest peak among older citizens that time and something has to be done.

The Social Security Act, which is considered the first Social Security law, was drafted under the administration of President Roosevelt. It was signed into law on 14 August 1935.

The act addresses many issues, amongst which includes:

• Old age

• Poverty

• Unemployment

• Survivors

• Disability

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is the government agency tasked to administer the program. Later on, it added health insurance benefits in the scope of the Social Security under the Medicare program.

Generally, benefits under the Social Security law are paid based on the workers’ employment record and social security taxes or contributions.

The Social Security Act evolved during the past years as new social and economic issues emerge. Changes were made to provide more protection and coverage for the Social Security members.

The so-called OASDI or the Federal Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance pays monthly benefits to the following qualified individual/s:

• Retirees

• Family of a deceased worker

• Unemployed worker due to illness

• Unemployed worker due to accident

Nowadays, the major coverage handled by SSA, where qualified members are entitled to benefits under the Social Security law, are the following:

Retirement benefits

This benefit is given to a worker who worked and paid Social Security taxes upon retirement. The worker earns credits during the time he was working. His entitlement to benefits and the amount thereof will be based on his earned credits.

The number of required credits depends on the year the worker was born. If he was born in 1929 or later, he will need 40 credits or an equivalent of 10 years of work.

The amount receivable will also vary depending on the worker’s retirement age. If he opted to retire early at the age of 62, his benefits will not be as high when he retires at older age.

Disability benefits

The SSA pays disability benefits under two programs: The Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

SSDI is paid for people who were incapacitated to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death.

Members of the family of a disabled worker can also benefit under this program.

It is SSI program which will be applied for payments to people with low income who are 65 years of age or over or are blind or have disability.

Survivor benefits

Like retirement benefits, survivor benefits are based on the accumulated credit earned by a worker, during the time he was working and paying Social Security taxes.

The family of a worker is entitled to receive this compensation in the event the working member dies.

Medicare

This is a health insurance program available for people 65 years of age or older. It is also available for person under the age of 65 with certain disabilities and any age with permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant.

To know more information regarding social security benefits and other claims, you can consult with our experienced Los Angeles social security lawyers. You can visit our website to avail of our free case evaluation.

Caffeinated Content ]]> http://social-security-table.com/reminiscing-the-social-security-law-in-the-us/feed/ 0 Q & a on Social Security Survivor Benefits http://social-security-table.com/q-a-on-social-security-survivor-benefits/ http://social-security-table.com/q-a-on-social-security-survivor-benefits/#comments Sat, 30 May 2009 05:17:21 +0000 admin http://social-security-table.com/q-a-on-social-security-survivor-benefits/

Adriane Lauren Luna asked:


Losing a loved one is hard. It is additionally difficult when that person was the one who was providing for the family. Without him, family members begin to think that they had no one else to turn to for support, especially for emotional and financial support.

 

Luckily, this is not true. Social Security came up with a seamless solution. With the help of the Social Security Survivor Benefits Program, surviving family members would be able to get on their feet after the loss and start anew.

 

What is Survivor Benefits?

 

It is a program launched by the Social Security to aid surviving family members by providing them monthly pensions based on the contributions given by the deceased wage earner to Social Security.

 

How can a worker be eligible for Survivor Benefits?

 

By paying contributions to the Social Security, a worker earns credits that are transmitted to his Survivor Benefits. Generally, his eligibility is founded on the number of years he/she worked and how old he/she died.

 

Younger workers earn higher credits than older workers. Nevertheless, a worker who has rendered 10 years of service is automatically entitled to the Survivor Benefits.

 

Exception: If within three years before the worker’s death, he had worked for only a year and a half, his children and his spouse (who cared for his children) shall be entitled to survivor’s benefits.

 

How much Survivor Benefits will I receive?

 

The computation for the Survivor Benefits is based on how much the deceased paid to Social Security. The more contribution he/she gave the more benefits the family members will receive. It is calculated by getting the percentage based on his basic benefits amount. The said percentage shall vary on how old the survivors are and how they are related to the deceased wage earner. For instance:

 



The Widow or widower gets 100% benefits if he is within the retirement age or older.

The Widow or widower gets 71-94% benefits if he is between 60 to 64 years old.



 



The Widow or widower, regardless of the age, gets 75% benefits if with a child under age 16.



 



The Children gets 75% benefits.



 

What is the one-time death payment?

 

A one-time payment of $255 shall be given to a spouse or to the minor children if they have met the requirements set by the Social Security and if the deceased worker has worked long enough.

 

Who receives the survivor benefits?

 

Not all family members get to receive the survivor benefits. Only those eligible receives them. They are as follows:

 



The widow or widower who shall receive the (a) full benefit if 65 years or older; or if disabled and 50 years or older; (b) reduced benefit if aged 60 years.







The widow or widower who shall receive benefits, regardless of age, if she/he takes care of the deceased’s child (a) entitled to child’s benefit and is age 16 and below; or (b) who is disabled.



 



The unmarried children who are (a) 18 years and below; (b) up to 19 years old if attending full time elementary or secondary school; (c) disabled, regardless of age, if became disabled before turning 22 and remain disabled.



 



The stepchildren, grandchildren, stepgrandchildren or adopted children, under certain circumstances.



 



The dependent parents if they are 62 years and above.



What should I present to avail of the survivor benefits?

The following may be presented by the dependents in order to claim the survivor benefits of a deceased loved one:



Proof of death;



 



The deceased’s and your social security number;



 



Your birth certificate;



 



Your marriage certificate;



 



Your divorce papers;



 



The social security numbers of dependent children;



 



The birth certificate of dependent children;



 



W-2 forms or federal self-employment tax return for the most recent year of the deceased worker; and



 



The bank’s name and your account number where you want the survivor benefits to be deposited.



For more questions on Survivor Benefits, it would be advisable to consult a Social Security Attorney near you.

 

 

 



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]]> http://social-security-table.com/q-a-on-social-security-survivor-benefits/feed/ 0 The Value of Social Security to Society and the Individual http://social-security-table.com/the-value-of-social-security-to-society-and-the-individual/ http://social-security-table.com/the-value-of-social-security-to-society-and-the-individual/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 16:21:59 +0000 admin http://social-security-table.com/the-value-of-social-security-to-society-and-the-individual/
Sammy Beanard asked:


The value of Social Security should be determined by its effectiveness as a social insurance program, combining elements of both individual equity and social adequacy.

Because benefits are related to a worker’s lifetime earnings, individual equity is an intrinsic part of the Social Security concept.

But to understand and evaluate the program, we have to remember that certain features of Social Security are geared toward meeting broad-based social needs rather than simply whether or not an individual is getting a good return on the dollar.

For example, the basic benefit formula is designed, and always has been, to replace a higher proportion of earnings for low earners than for high earners.

Also, there is another part of the social adequacy aspect of Social Security. Dependents’ and survivors’ benefits are paid to workers with families.

Because the program strikes a balance between the goals of individual equity and social adequacy, I believe we must judge Social Security’s value by how well it performs as an entire package of social insurance protection.

The value of benefits for any given worker depends on his or her individual circumstances, whether that worker has high earnings or low earnings, whether that worker is married or has children, whether that worker becomes disabled, dies prematurely, or receives benefits far into old age.

Some people can expect to get back more than they put into Social Security, some to break even, and some to get less.

The value of these programs cannot be overestimated. For example, over 40 percent of male workers and nearly 30 percent of female workers will become disabled or die before they reach retirement age.

They may not get their money’s worth if you only look at whether they get their contributions back and do not consider the program’s other aspects.

So Social Security disability and survivors’ benefits assure workers that they and their families will not become destitute. And when we assess the value of Social Security, we have to take that into consideration.

Social Security is an integral part of American life. Virtually the entire labor force pays Social Security taxes.

And people count on Social Security to be there for them when they retire. And they count on Social Security to be there for their families should they become disabled or die.

The American people have a right and a need to know that Social Security is still a valuable program.



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