S
ocial security benefits were instituted by the United States federal government in the year 1935. The Social Security Administration is mandated to oversee its smooth operations to ensure its full implementation. American citizens pay into the system throughout their working life and receive benefits at the end of employment. To be eligible a person must accumulate social security cards. They are got by receiving a salary and duly paying all the required amounts of payroll taxes from the taxes.
Types of social security benefits
Many citizens view social security benefits to be aligned to Retirement benefits. This is not the case because it is a program covering the following key areas.
1. Disability benefits
Social Security disability benefits cover employees who sustain injuries to their body in the course of their daily duties in the working environment. Such injuries can lead to mental impairment or other physical injuries that hamper their levels of performance in their work. They take long to be paid and require the following to be produced to receive the full payment.
- The medical attendants contact information should be given.
- The person's job description and the employer details.
- Laboratory tests and results of the injury.
- Full completed medical records of the doctors attending the injured party.
2. Retirement benefits
This was the original importance of social security benefits. They were to be paid according to a person’s average annual earnings. The higher they are, the larger the sum of benefits. Persons born before 1928 just have to earn forty social security credits. Typically an individual receives four of them in a year.
3. Survivors benefits
This program is meant to give financial help to those left by a deceased person. To get the survivors benefits, they need to claim their dues from the Social Security administration as long as they meet required specifications.
4. Medicare benefits
To cover the medical expenses of an individual after retirement.
Applying for Social Security benefits.
After knowing the benefits, a person qualifies to gain under the Social Security Benefits program the process of application should immediately start.
The earliest the benefits can be paid is at the age of 62, therefore applying three months before this age has a chance of getting the benefits at the required time.
Applications can be done by calling the relevant authority, through online application or by visiting the local offices dealing with Social Security benefits.
A lot of information is required for the person applying for the benefits. This includes bank account information, earnings history, Social Security number, and information regarding spouses among other data required.
In applying for Social Security Benefits, documents such as citizenship papers, military papers where applicable, W-2 forms and birth certificates need to be produced when required.
