What You Should Know About Social Security

At some point in your life, it’s very likely that you will be collecting social security however few people know the nitty-gritty of the program. Social security is a program run by the federal meant to provide a source of income to those who need it.

There are many different reasons to claim the social security benefit including those who can’t work because of a disability, retirees, and the spouses of workers who have been killed. For the most part, claiming social security is not a complicated task but it can be a bit of a process if you’re claiming the benefit due to disability so in some cases it’s important to get legal support for your application.

This article will go over what you should know about social security and how it can assist you. 

What is Social Security?

Social security is a program run by the federal government put out by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that is meant to provide financial assistance to those who fall under one of its categories. The system works because people pay social security taxes which go into a trust fund to pay for the program’s benefits.

When you first start working you’ll get your social insurance number which will let you become eligible for social security down the road. For every year that you work and pay social security taxes, the more credits you’ll have to claim the benefits when you retire. Once you’ve successfully applied to the program you’ll receive a fixed sum of money monthly to assist you in your living expenses. 

Who Can Claim the Benefit

You can claim your social security benefit if you fall under one of the categories to qualify for it. One of the most common reasons for claiming social security is retirement. If you’ve worked your whole life and have paid your social security taxes you’re eligible to apply for social security to help you financially to substitute for your loss of income.

According to the experts at the LaPorte Law Firm, another common reason for claiming the benefit is not being able to work due to having a disability. If you have a physical or mental disability that bars you from working you can apply for disability social security benefit but you’ll have to go through a special vetting process.

Finally, if your spouse was killed in an accident or for some other reason you may apply for the social security benefit to help compensate for the loss of your partner’s income. 

How to Claim Social Security 

In most cases claiming your social security benefit is not an overly complicated task but this depends on the reason for application. Every day thousands of Americans retire and claim their retirement social security benefit.

In order to apply for this benefit, you simply have to be 65 and retired then send off your application to the SSA for approval. You’ll have to provide your social insurance number and proof of your age such as a copy of your birth certificate.

Claiming the benefit for disability is another story as the vetting process for the benefit is much more rigorous as you’ll have to present your case and demonstrate that your disability interferes with your ability to work a job.

If this is the case for you your best bet is to consult an attorney to help you present your situation as this can increase your chances of obtaining the social security benefit. If you’re trying to claim the benefit because your spouse has been killed you’ll have to provide their death certificate and provide details of the accident as part of your application. 

Every day thousands of Americans claim social security so it’s important to know about the program in the case that you need to claim it.

The social security program is a program run by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that can provide financial assistance for those who fall under one of its categories. You can apply for this benefit if you’re planning on retiring at the proper age, have a disability that doesn’t allow you to work, or if your spouse has been killed.

The actual application process is not overly complicated when applying for the retirement or loss of spouse benefit but it can be more of a rigorous process when applying for the disability benefit as you’ll have to present your case on how your disability impacts your ability to work so it’s a good idea to hire a lawyer to help you out.

Now that you know more about social security you know about what rights you have and how they can potentially help you in living your best life down the road.