Some Answers to Your Social Security Benefits Questions
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Written by: albert.tobega
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Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 |
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Q: I have a business under my name but my spouse runs it. Can I have still apply for social security benefits?
A: The SSA defines the word disability as being unable to complete any substantial activity that will earn you a living. They determine substantial gainful activity according to the National Average Wage Index, which gives a dollar amount per month. They consider a person to be working any day that he or she "is the owner or part owner of a trade or business even if he or she does not actually work in the trade or business or receive any income from it."
The money your business makes may have an effect on your social security disability. The income you receive from your business, regardless of who runs it, may be considered substantial if it exceeds a determined SGA (or substantial gainful activity) level. The SSA determines this SGA level by doing a comparison of the income of your business to the income you received before you became disabled, as well as to the income of a healthy individual doing the same business.
Q: If I pass away while I am in the Social Security Disability application process, where does my claim go?
A: According to the Social Security Administration, if a person who may be eligible for social security benefits dies (this includes Supplemental Security Income), their survivors may apply for a Lump Sum Death Payment. This means that, if you were to die in the process of applying for social security benefits, your survivors may make a case for the social security benefits you may have earned after the waiting period. In order to receive the lump sum payment, your survivors must prove that you would have qualified for social security disability in the month of death.
Only certain close family members are eligible for these survivors social security benefits. When making the claim, the family will need to provide information and records about the deceaseds social security benefits eligibility and application (if there was one). They will also request evidence of the deceaseds disability beginning at 14 months before the date of death.
Q: If I am receiving social security benefits and I die, what happens to them?
A: When you are receiving social security benefits, and have paid social security taxes, some family members may be eligible to receive survivors benefits upon your death. For ones family to be eligible for survivors benefits, up to 10 years of work is needed, depending on ones age. The following relatives may be eligible for survivors social security benefits:
• A widow or widower, who will receive full benefits at retirement age, and reduced benefits starting at 60 • A disabled spouse aged 50 or over • Unmarried children under 18 (or up to 19 if attending high school) • Currently disabled children who were disabled at less than 22 years of age • Dependent parents who are 62 years old or older.
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