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Common Questions about Social Security Programs
Contents
These are common questions about Social Security programs.
Questions about Supplement Security Income (SSI)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Social Security program that gives monthly financial assistance to people who qualify. Unlike other Social Security programs, SSI is based on financial need and either age or disability. SSI is not based on work history. If you qualify for SSI, you might also qualify for other benefits.
To qualify for SSI benefits, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be disabled, blind, or age 65 or older
- Be a U.S. citizen (some exceptions may apply)
- Live in the U.S.
- Not leave the U.S. for more than a month
- Meet the income and asset limits
The SSA works with Disability Determination Services (DDS) offices in Michigan when reviewing disability claims. DDS has doctors and disability specialists working for it. When you file a disability claim, DDS employees contact the medical professionals treating you. They ask about your condition and your ability to work. The SSA and DDS use the information they get to decide if you are disabled.
There is a five-step process to decide if you are disabled. DDS will go through all five steps. To learn more, read Disability Determination Process on the SSA website.
Questions about Social Security Disability Insurance
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program pays benefits to people who have a work history and become disabled. In some cases SSDI pays benefits to certain family members of a disabled person who has a work history. To qualify for SSDI, you must meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of being disabled and the work history test.
The SSA works with Disability Determination Services (DDS) offices in Michigan when reviewing disability claims. DDS has doctors and disability specialists working for it. When you file a disability claim, DDS employees contact the medical professionals treating you. They ask about your condition and your ability to work. The SSA and DDS use the information they get to decide if you are disabled.
There is a five-step process to decide if you are disabled. DDS will go through all five steps. To learn more, read An Overview of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
In general, to be eligible for SSDI, you must pass two different work history tests. The first is a recent work history test based on your age and when you became disabled. The second test looks at your total work history to see whether you have worked long enough to get SSDI. These tests look at different things. It is possible for your work history to pass one but not the other. However, your work history must pass both tests to qualify for SSDI.
To learn more, read An Overview of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
Questions about Social Security Retirement (SSR)
Social Security Retirement benefits (SSR) are based on your work history in the U.S. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is in charge of SSR. You get SSR “credits” when you pay Social Security taxes. Each year the amount you need to earn to get credits goes up slightly. You get up to four credits per year.
Most workers in the U.S. (96%) are covered under Social Security. However, some kinds of work either don’t earn credits or have special rules for earning credits. Some jobs are not covered by Social Security. Here are some examples of those jobs:
- Most federal workers hired before 1984
- Railroad workers who have worked more than 10 years
- Government workers whose employer is a state or municipality that does not pay Social Security taxes
Some jobs have special rules when it comes to earning credits. Here are some examples of those jobs:
- Self-employment
- Working for the military
- Domestic work
- Farm work
- Working for a church
To learn more about these, read “If You Are Self-Employed” and “Military Service and Social Security” on the SSA’s website.
If you have questions about whether a job you had earned credits or has special rules for earning credits, contact the SSA.
The age you can start getting full SSR benefits depends on the year you were born. If you were born between 1943 and 1954, the age you get full benefits is 66. If you were born in 1955 or after, the age you get full benefits gradually increases from 66 to age 67. For example, depending on your birth year, your full retirement age could be 66 years and six months. To learn the age you have to be to collect full retirement, you can use the SSA’s Retirement Age Calculator.
To learn more, read An Overview of Social Security Retirement.
General Questions about Social Security Programs
It depends. If you are applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will look at your countable income when deciding your benefit amount. The SSA does not count all your income when deciding whether you qualify for benefits. To learn more, read Federal Payment Amounts on the SSA website.
If you want to know how much you’ll get from Social Security Retirement, the SSA has calculators you can use to find that information.
You can apply online at the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) website or set up an appointment to apply at a local SSA office. If you would like to apply at an SSA office, call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to set up an appointment. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call the TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.
Before applying, it is a good idea to have the following information ready:
- A Social Security card or record of your Social Security number
- A birth certificate or proof of your age
- Information about your home, like your mortgage or lease
- Information about your income, like pay stubs or bank books
- Information about other things you own, like insurance policies
- Proof of U.S. citizenship
- Your checkbook or other papers that show your bank account number
- If you are applying due to a disability or blindness, you will need the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals, or clinics that have treated you
When you apply for SSI benefits, you must give the SSA permission to contact any bank or credit union and request any financial records they may have about you.
If the Social Security Administration (SSA) sent you a letter denying your claim for benefits, telling you it is decreasing your benefits, or telling you that you have been overpaid benefits, you may be able to appeal it. You can appeal most decisions the SSA makes about your benefits. When the SSA sends your decision letter, it will also send you information about how you can appeal the decision.
If you appeal the decision, you will need to appeal in writing and file the appeal with the SSA. The SSA offers different forms you can use to request an appeal. The SSA allows you to file an appeal and upload more documents through its website on the Disability Appeal page. You can now file an appeal from outside the U.S. using the SSA website.
There are four levels of appeals available to you. They are:
- Reconsideration (for disability claims)
- A hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)
- Appeals Council Review
- Federal Court
The SSA may be able to help you with the appeals process up to the point where you file a civil lawsuit in federal court. At that point, the SSA will only give you information about the process.
Once your benefits are approved, the SSA will send you a letter telling you when your payments will start and how much you will receive each month. The first payment you receive will be for the first full month after you applied or became eligible for benefits. The amount you receive every month may change due to changes in your income, resources, or living arrangements, or to keep up with cost of living increases.
Generally, all benefit payments are made electronically. There are limited exceptions that could allow you to receive payments through paper checks. If you have questions about receiving paper checks, you can contact your local SSA office. Your local legal services office may also be able to help you. Use the Guide to Legal Help to find lawyers and legal services in your area.
You will receive electronic payments on the first day of each month in one of the following ways:
- Direct deposit – Payments deposited directly into your bank account
- Direct Express® card program – Payments deposited directly onto a debit card provided by the SSA
- Electronic Transfer Account – Payments deposited in a low-cost federal account at your local bank or credit union
You can schedule an appointment with the SSA to help you set up one of these options.
Yes. If something happens that could affect your eligibility, contact the SSA as soon as possible. If you do not, it could result in you being overpaid since your benefits haven’t been adjusted based on the change. If you are overpaid, you will have to repay the overpayment amount.
Some examples of things you must report are:
- Change of address
- Change of living arrangements
- Change in income and employment status
- Change in other benefits you get
- Change in resources
- Change in citizenship, like renouncing your citizenship
- Change in marital status
To learn more about your reporting responsibilities, read the section “What you must report to us” in What You Need to Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits on the SSA website.
Maybe. Some people have to pay taxes on their Social Security benefits when they have other, substantial income. This other income can come from wages from a job (including self-employment), interest, dividends, and other sources. To learn more about this, read “Income Taxes and Your Social Security Benefit” on the SSA website.