Social Security Common Questions
What does Social Security consider "disabled"?
There are four major types of Social Security disability benefits.
Who decides if I am disabled?
If approved for disability, how much money will I receive?
How far back will SS pay benefits if I am found disabled?
How long does it take to get a hearing?
What is the SS hearing like?
Can I work and still try to get disability?
Will I get medical assistance if awarded benefits?
How long can I receive disability benefits?
If I win my case, how long will it take before I get my money?
Social Security Disability (SSD) Terms / Definitions
1. What does Social Security consider "disabled"?
Generally, to be found disabled, you must be able to prove that you cannot perform any of your past work and any other work. You must also show that your disability has lasted for 12 months, or will be expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death. Disability is defined as "the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months".
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2. There are four major types of Social Security disability benefits.
a. Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) goes to people who have worked in recent years (five out of the last 10 years in most oases) and who are now disabled. Auxiliary benefits may be payable to a worker's dependents.
b. Disabled Widow's and Widower's Benefits are paid to people who are at least 50 and become disabled within a certain amount of time after the death of spouse, The deceased spouse must have worked enough to be insured under SS.
c. Disabled Adult Child Benefits (DAC) go to the children of persons who are deceased or who are receiving SS disability or retirement benefits. The child must have become disabled before age 22. Generally, benefits are paid based on the SS earnings record of a parent.
d. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are paid to individuals who are poor and who are disabled. It does not matter for SSI whether a person has worked in the past or not. Effective January 2004, the maximum SSI payment for an eligible individual is $564 per month and $846 per month for an eligible couple. The individual has to meet income and resource requirements.
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3. Who decides if I am disabled?
After you file your application, the case is sent to a disability examiner at DDS. This individual, working with a doctor hired by DDS, makes the initial decision on the claim. If the claim is denied, the next step is to appeal and request a hearing except in other states such as Mississippi where there is a second consideration or reconsideration step before the hearing level. Then the case is sent to the Office of Hearings and Appeals. The case is sent to an Administrative Law Judge who works for SS. ( NOTE: IF A REQUEST FOR HEARING IS NOT FILED WITHIN 65 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF DENIAL, A NEW APPLICATION WILL HAVE TO BE FILED AND CLAIMANT MAY LOSE POTENTIAL BENEFITS-unless the claimant can show good cause for not appealing on time.
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4. If approved for disability, how much money will I receive?
It depends on how much you have worked and earned in the past. A yearly earnings record sent by SS will give you an estimate. This can be requested from SS.
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5. How far back will SS pay benefits if I am found disabled?
Generally, 12 months from date of application for social security disability benefits provided you have been disabled far enough back. There is also a 5 month waiting period. SSI benefits start with the first full month after the claim is filed.
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6. How long does it take to get a hearing?
The process is speeding up with more judges being appointed by SS. However, it currently takes approximately 6 months to a year from the date you file a Request for Hearing.. In all cases, we try to get the claim pushed through as quickly as possible. Those claimants who are unable to obtain medical treatment, who are destitute and/or who have serious (cancer, transplant, etc.) disabilities are expedited.
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7. What is the SS hearing like?
The hearings are fairly informal. The only people who are usually there are the judge, a secretary operating a tape recorder, the claimant, the claimant's attorney and anyone the claimant has brought with him/her to the hearing. In some cases, the judge has a doctor or vocational expert present to testify at the hearing. There is no jury and there will not be an attorney representing SSA.
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8. Can I work and still try to get disability?
In some instances, yes. It depends on how much you earn and how long you work. Generally, if a person tries to work even full time and the work is terminated in less than 3 months because of the impairments, it will not count against the claimant.
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9. Will I get medical assistance if awarded benefits?
Yes. If you are awarded disability benefits, you will become eligible for Medicare 24 months after your date of entitlement. If you are awarded SSI, you become eligible for Medicaid.
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10. How long can I receive disability benefits?
You can receive SS disability benefits until retirement age. When you reach retirement age, your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, but the amount remains the same.
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11. If I win my case, how long will it take before I get my money?
It usually takes 4-6 weeks after a decision is rendered, to receive benefits.
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Social Security Disability (SSD) Terms / Definitions
AME (Average Monthly Earnings)
The dollar amount used in calculating your monthly Social Security benefit if you attained age 62 or became disabled (or died) before 1978. The AME is determined by dividing the total earnings in the "computation years" by the number of months in those same years. See Retirement Insurance Benefits (RIB).
Annual Cost of Living Increase
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments may be automatically increased each year to keep pace with increases in the cost-of-living (inflation).
Appeal (Appeal Rights)
You will receive a letter of explanation whenever Social Security makes a decision regarding your eligibility for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits. If you disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal (ask us to review your case). If our decision was wrong, we’ll change it.
Application for Benefits
To receive Social Security or Black Lung benefits, Supplemental Security Income payments, or Medicare, you must complete and sign an application.
Baptismal Certificate
An official religious record of your birth or baptism. In some situations we can use a baptismal certificate to establish your age.
Base Years
A worker's (wage earner) base years for computing Social Security benefits are the years after 1950 up to the year of entitlement to retirement or disability insurance benefits. For a survivor's claim, the base years include the year of the worker's death. See Retirement Insurance Benefits (RIB).
Benefit Verification Letter (BEVE)
An official letter from Social Security that verifies the amount an individual receives each month in Social Security benefits and/or Supplemental Security Income payments. These letters are normally issued following a request from a beneficiary or his/her authorized representative.
Benefits
Social Security pays monthly benefits in five major categories:
- Retirement
- Disability
- Family (dependents)
- Survivors
- Medicare
The retirement, family (dependents), survivor and disability programs pay monthly cash benefits, and Medicare provides medical coverage.
Benefits – Reduced
You can get the following reduced monthly benefits before reaching full retirement age:
Retirement insurance benefits at age 62 through the month before your reach Full Retirement Age (FRA);
- Husband’s or wife's insurance benefits at age 62 through the month before you reach FRA, provided no child of your spouse either under age 18 or disabled and entitled to benefits is in your care;
- Widow's or widower's insurance benefits beginning at any time from age 50 through the month before you reach FRA;
- Widow's or widower's insurance benefits after your spouse has received a retirement insurance benefit reduced for age;
- Disability insurance benefits received after a reduced retirement insurance benefit; or
- Retirement or disability insurance benefit received after a reduced widow's or widower's insurance benefit.
This applies only if you were born before 1928.
Birth Certificate (Original)
The record maintained by a governmental entity such as a state, county, parish, city, or borough which documents your birth.
Child
We use the term "Child" to include your biological child or any other child who can inherit your personal property under State law or who meets certain specific requirements under the Social Security Act; such as:
- A legally adopted child,
- An equitably adopted child,
- A stepchild, or
- A grandchild.
COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment)
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments are increased each year to keep pace with increases in the cost-of-living (inflation).
Computation Years
Computation years are the years with highest earnings selected from the "base years.” We add total earnings in the computation years and divide by the number of months in those years to get the AME or the AIME. (We use your 35 highest years of earnings to compute your retirement benefits.)
For more information see RIB (Retirement Insurance Benefits) or go to www.socialsecurity.gov/retirement/
CPI-W (Consumer Price Index)
An index prepared by the U. S. Department of Labor that charts the rise in costs for selected goods and services. This index is used to compute COLA increases.
Credits (Social Security Credits)
Previously called "Quarters of Coverage." As you work and pay taxes, you earn credits that count toward your eligibility for future Social Security benefits. You can earn a maximum of four credits each year. Most people need 40 credits to qualify for benefits. Younger people need fewer credits to qualify for disability or survivors’ benefits.
Decision Notice (Award Letter or Denial Letter)
When you file for Social Security, we decide if you will receive benefits. We send you an official letter explaining our decision and, if benefits are payable, we tell you the amount you will get each month.
Delayed Retirement Credits (DRC)
Social Security benefits are increased (by a certain percentage depending on a person's date of birth) if retirement is delayed beyond full retirement age (FRA).
Increases based on delaying retirement no longer apply when people reach age 70, even if they continue to delay taking benefits.
Dependent Benefits
See Family Benefits.
Direct Deposit
The standard way to receive Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments. Your money is sent electronically to an account in an accredited financial institution (a bank, trust company, savings and loan association, brokerage agency or credit union).
Disability Benefits
You can get disability benefits if you:
- Are under full retirement age
- Have enough Social Security credits and
- Have a severe medical impairment (physical or mental) that’s expected to prevent you from doing "substantial" work for a year or more, or have a condition that is expected to result in death.
Documents (Proofs)
Forms and papers such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, W2 forms, tax returns, deeds, etc., submitted by individuals applying for benefits and services. We can accept only originals or copies certified by the agency that has the original document. See Evidence.
Early Retirement
You can start getting Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but your benefit amount will be less than you would have gotten if you waited until your full retirement age.
If you take retirement benefits early, your benefit will remain permanently reduced, based on the number of months you received checks before you reached full retirement age. See (RIB) Retirement Insurance Benefit.
Earnings Record (lifetime record of earnings)
A chronological history of the amount of money you earn each year during your working lifetime. The credits you earned remain on your Social Security record even when you change jobs or have no earnings.
Evidence (Proofs)
"Proofs." The documents you must submit to support a factor of entitlement or payment amount. The people in your Social Security office can explain what evidence is required to establish entitlement and help you to get it.
Family Benefits (Dependent Benefits)
When you’re eligible for retirement or disability benefits, the following people may receive benefits on your record:
- Spouse if he or she is at least 62 years old (or any age but caring for an entitled child under age 16)
- Children if they are unmarried and under age 18, under age 19 and a full-time elementary or secondary student
- Children age 18 or older but disabled
- Divorced ex-spouse.
Family Maximum
The maximum amount of benefits payable to an entire family on any one worker’s record.
FICA Tax
FICA stands for "Federal Insurance Contributions Act." It’s the tax withheld from your salary or self-employment income that funds the Social Security and Medicare programs.
Food Stamps (Food Stamp Program)
The U. S. Department of Agriculture program that helps needy families buy food.
FRA (Full Retirement Age)
The age at which a person may first become entitled to full or unreduced retirement benefits.
Beginning with year 2000 for workers and spouses born 1938 or later and widows/widowers born 1940 or later, the retirement age increases gradually from age 65 until it reaches age 67 in the year 2022. This increase affects the amount of the reduction for persons who begin receiving reduced benefits. For more information see Full retirement age.
Health Insurance (Medicare)
The federal health insurance program for:
- People 65 years of age or older
- Certain younger people with disabilities and
- People with permanent kidney failure with dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD (End-Stage Renal Disease).
- For more information go to Medicare Resources and the Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare Information.
Insured Status
If you worked and earned enough Social Security credits to meet the eligibility requirement for retirement or disability benefits or enable your dependents to establish eligibility for benefits due to your retirement, disability, or death, you have insured status.
Lawful Alien Status
People admitted to the U.S. who are granted permanent authorization to work by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (formerly INS) or admitted to the U.S. on a temporary basis with USCIS or INS authorization to work.
Lifetime Earnings
See Earnings Record.
Lump Sum Death Payment
A one-time payment of $255 paid in addition to any monthly survivors insurance benefits that are due. This benefit is paid only to your widow/widower or minor children.
Maximum Earnings
The maximum amount of earnings we can count in any calendar year when computing your Social Security benefit.
Medicaid
A joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for people with low incomes and limited resources.
Medicaid programs vary from state to state, but most health care costs are covered if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. For more information see the Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare and Medicaid Information
Medicare
See Health Insurance. For more information go to Medicare Resources and the Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare Information.
MOE (Month of Election)
This usually applies to retirement claims. In certain situations, you can choose the month in which your benefits will start.
There are many different factors that can affect when you want to begin receiving your payments.
NRA (Normal Retirement Age)
See FRA (Full Retirement Age).
Number Holder(NH)
See Wage Earner.
OASDI (Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance)
The Social Security programs that provide monthly cash benefits to you and your dependents when you retire, to your surviving dependents, and to disabled worker beneficiaries and their dependents.
Payment Dates for Social Security Benefits
If you filed for Social Security benefits before May 1, 1997, your payments usually are dated and delivered on the 3rd of the month following the month for which the payment is due. For example, payments for January are delivered on February 3rd.
If the 3rd of the month is a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday, your payments are dated and delivered on the first day before the 3rd of the month which is not a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday. For example, if the 3rd is a Saturday or Sunday, payments are delivered on the preceding Friday.
If you filed for Social Security benefits May 1, 1997, or later, you are assigned one of three new payment days based on the date of birth of the insured person:
If you were born on the… Your payment will be delivered on the…
1st through 10th of the month Second Wednesday of the month
11th through 20th of the month Third Wednesday of the month
21st through end of the month Fourth Wednesday of the month
If your scheduled Wednesday payment day is a Federal holiday, we’ll send your payment on the preceding day that is not a Federal legal holiday.
For a schedule of benefit payment dates, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/calendar.htm
Payment Dates for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments
SSI payments are usually dated and delivered on the first day of the month for which they are due. However, if the first falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday, they are dated and delivered on the first day preceding the first of the month which is not a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday.
For a schedule of benefit payment dates, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/calendar.htm
PIA (Primary Insurance Amount)
The monthly amount payable if you are a retired worker who begins receiving benefits at full retirement age or if you're disabled and have never received a retirement benefit reduced for age.
Proofs
See Evidence.
Protective Filing Date
The date you first contact us about filing for benefits. It may be used to establish an earlier application date than when we receive your signed application.
QC (Quarter of Coverage)
See Credits, Social Security.
Record of Earnings
See Earnings Record.
Reduction Months
Months beginning with the first month you're entitled to reduced benefits up to, but not including, the month in which you reach full retirement age.
Representative Payee
If you receive Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income and become unable to handle your own financial affairs, after a careful investigation, we appoint a relative, a friend, or an interested party to handle your Social Security matters.
Representative payees are required to maintain complete accounting records and periodically provide reports to Social Security.
Retirement Age – Early
Age 62 (See Retirement Age – Minimum)
Retirement Age – Full Benefits
Full retirement age was 65 for many years. However, beginning with the year 2000 (for workers and spouses born 1938 or later, or widows and widowers born 1940 or later), the retirement age increases gradually from age 65 until it reaches age 67 in the year 2022. For additional information read www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/agereduction.htm.
Retirement Age – Minimum
The minimum age for retirement—age 62 for workers, and age 60 for widows or widowers. You can choose a reduced benefit anytime before you reach full retirement age.
Retirement Earnings Test
If you receive monthly Social Security benefits before your full retirement age and work, your earnings from wages and/or self-employment cannot exceed a certain amount without reducing your monthly benefits. For more information read How Work Affects Your Benefits (05-10069).
Retroactive Benefits (Back Pay)
"Back Pay." Monthly benefits that you may be entitled to before the month you actually file an application, if you meet the entitlement requirements.
RIB (Retirement Insurance Benefit)
Money that is payable to you upon retirement (you can get reduced benefits as early as age 62) if you have enough Social Security credits.
SEI (Self-employment/Self-employment Income)
You are self-employed if you operate a trade, business or profession, either individually or as a partner, and have net earnings of $400 or more in a taxable year.
Social Security
Social Security is based on a simple concept: While you work, you pay taxes into the Social Security system, and when you retire or become disabled; you, your spouse and your dependent children receive monthly benefits that are based on your reported earnings. Also, your survivors can collect benefits if you die.
Social Security Number (Social Security Card)
Your first and continuous link with Social Security is your nine-digit Social Security Number (SSN). Your SSN helps SSA to maintain an accurate record of your wages or self-employment earnings that are covered under the Social Security Act, and to monitor your record once you start getting Social Security benefits.
Spouse
You are the spouse of the worker if, when he or she applied for benefits:
- You and the worker were married or
- You would have the status of a husband or a wife for that person’s personal property if they had no will or
- You went through a marriage ceremony in good faith, which would have been valid except for a legal impediment.
SS-5
The application form you need to complete to obtain a Social Security number, a replacement card or a duplicate card. For more information see www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html.
SSN
Social Security number. See Social Security Number (Social Security Card).
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
A Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. For more information read Supplemental Security Income.
Survivor (Survivor Benefits)
Benefits based on your record (if you should die) are paid to:
- Your widow/widower age 60 or older, 50 or older if disabled, or any age if caring for a child under age 16 or who became disabled before age 22
- Your children, if they are unmarried and under age 18, under 19 but still in school, or 18 or older but disabled before age 22
- Your parents if you provided at least one-half of their support.
- A special one-time lump sum payment of $255 may be made to your spouse or minor children. An ex-spouse could also be eligible for a widow/widower's benefit on your record.
Wage Earner
A person who earns Social Security credits while working for wages or self-employment income. Sometimes referred to as the "Number Holder" or "Worker."
Wages
All payment for services performed for an employer. Wages do not have to be cash. The cash value of all compensation paid to an employee in any form other than cash is also considered wages (unless the form of payment is specifically not covered under the Social Security Act).
Widow
You are the widow/widower of the insured person if, at the time the insured person died:
- You and the insured person were validly married or
- You would have the status of a husband or a wife for that person’s personal property if they had no will or
- You went through a marriage ceremony in good faith that would have been valid except for a legal impediment.
The minimum age for:
- Disabled widows benefits is age 50.
- Retirement for widows is age 60.
Widower
See Widow.
Work Credits
See Credits or Quarters of Coverage.
Worker
See Wage Earner.
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