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Question:
My husband doesn't have enough
work under Social Security to qualify for Social Security retirement
benefits or Medicare. But I am fully insured and eligible. Can he
qualify on my record?
Answer:
Yes. The answer applies to
husbands as well as wives. Even if your spouse has never worked
under Social Security, he (or she) can, at full retirement age,
receive a benefit equal to one-half of your full retirement amount.
Your husband is eligible for reduced spouses benefits as early as
age 62, as long as you are already receiving benefits. For more
information, visit
www.socialsecurity.gov
and select the “Retirement” tab. If your spouse will receive a
pension for work not covered by Social Security such as government
employment, the amount of his or her Social Security benefits on
your record may be reduced. For more information, read the fact
sheet, Government Pension Offset, Publication No. 05-10007 at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10007.html.
RETIREMENT
Question:
What can Social Security do to
help me plan for my retirement?
Answer:
Social Security has some great
online financial planning tools you can use to make an informed
decision about your retirement. Social Security's online
Retirement Planner and our online Retirement Estimator
are both tools you can access online at any time. These will let you
compute estimates of your future Social Security retirement
benefits. They also provide important information on factors
affecting retirement benefits, such as military service, household
earnings, and Federal employment. You can access our Retirement
Planner at
www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2.
Find the Retirement Estimator at
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
Question:
How long does a person need to
work to become eligible for retirement benefits?
Answer:
Everyone born in 1929 or later
needs 40 Social Security “credits” to be eligible. You can earn up
to four credits a year. So, you will need at least 10 years of
covered employment or self-employment to become eligible for
retirement benefits. During your working years, we post earnings
covered by Social Security to your record. You earn credits based on
those earnings. The amount of earnings needed for a credit rises as
average earnings levels rise. In 2010, and 2011, you receive one
credit for each $1,120 of earnings, up to the maximum of four
credits a year. For more information, visit our website at
www.socialsecurity.gov.
DISABILITY
Question:
I understand that to get
Social Security disability benefits, my disability must be expected
to last at least a year or be expected to result in death. I am
disabled now; does this mean that I must wait a year after becoming
disabled before I can receive benefits?
Answer:
You do not have to wait a year
after becoming disabled. If you’re disabled and expect to be out of
work for at least a year, you should apply for disability benefits
right away. It can take months to process an application for
disability benefits. If we approve your application, your first
Social Security disability benefit will be paid for the sixth full
month after the date your disability began. For more information
about Social Security disability benefits, refer to Disability
Benefits (Publication No. 05-10029) at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html.
Question:
I get disability benefits. I
would really like to try to work again, but I can’t risk losing my
medical coverage. I understand Social Security’s Ticket to Work
might let me try working without endangering my benefits. What can
you tell me about it?
Answer:
Ticket to Work is a voluntary
program that offers disabled Social Security beneficiaries a variety
of choices in obtaining the support and services they need to help
them go to work and achieve their employment goals. If you receive
Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits based on
disability or blindness and would like to work or increase your
current earnings, this program can help you get vocational
rehabilitation, training, job referrals, and other ongoing support
and services to do so. For more information, visit our Ticket to
Work website at
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/work.
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SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY
INCOME
Question:
What is the difference between
Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
disability?
Answer:
Social Security is responsible
for running two major programs that provide benefits based on
disability. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is based on
prior work and the taxes you pay into the Social Security program.
To be eligible for a SSDI benefit, the worker must earn sufficient
credits based on taxable work to be "insured" for Social Security
purposes. SSDI benefits are payable to eligible blind or disabled
workers, the widow(er)s of a disabled worker, or adults disabled
since childhood. SSI disability payments are made on the basis of
financial need to adults or children who are disabled or blind, have
limited income and resources, meet the living arrangement
requirements, and are otherwise eligible. SSI is a program financed
through general revenues. For more information, visit our website
at
www.socialsecurity.gov
or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Question:
Are Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) benefits taxable?
Answer:
No. Unlike Social Security
benefits, which may be subject to income tax, SSI payments are not
subject to Federal taxes, and you will not receive an annual form
SSA-1099. For more information, see
Supplemental Security
Income (Publication No. 05-11000),
visit our website at
www.socialsecurity.gov
or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
MEDICARE
Question:
What can I do if my Medicare
prescription drug plan says it won't pay for a drug that my doctor
prescribed for me?
Answer:
If your Medicare prescription
drug plan decides that it won't pay for a prescription drug, it must
tell you in writing why the drug isn't covered in a letter called a
"Notice of Denial of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage." Read the
notice carefully because it will explain how to ask for an appeal.
Your prescribing doctor can ask your Medicare drug plan for an
expedited redetermination (first level appeal) for you if the doctor
tells the plan that waiting for a standard appeal decision may
seriously harm your health. For more information, visit
www.medicare.gov.
By Judith Bartels
Social Security District
Manager in Springfield, IL
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