Q: “When a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, are benefits payable on that person’s record?”
A: Social Security survivors benefits can be paid to:
* A widow or widower — unreduced benefits at full retirement age, or reduced benefits as early as age 60;
* A disabled widow or widower — as early as age 50;
* A widow or widower at any age if he or she takes care of the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled, and receiving Social Security benefits;
* Unmarried children under 18, or up to age 19 if they are attending high school full time. Under certain circumstances, benefits can be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren or adopted children;
* Children at any age who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled; and
* Dependent parents age 62 or older.
Even if you are divorced, you still may qualify for survivors
benefits.
Q: Is there a time limit on Social Security disability benefits?”
A: Your disability benefits will continue as long as your medical condition has not improved and you cannot work. We will review your case at regular intervals to make sure you are still disabled. Learn more by reading our publication, Disability Benefits, at www.social security.gov/pubs/10029.html.
Q: “I know you need to have limited resources to receive supplemental security income. But what is considered a resource?”
A: Resources are things you own that you can use for support. They include cash, real estate, personal belongings, bank accounts, stocks and bonds. To be eligible for SSI a person must have no more than $2,000 in countable resources.
A: married couple must have no more than $3,000 in countable resources. If you own resources over the SSI limit, you may be able to get SSI benefits while trying to sell the resources. Not all of your resources count toward the SSI resource limit. For example:
* The home you live in and the land it’s on do not count.
* Your personal effects and household goods do not count.
* Life insurance policies may not count, depending on their value.
* Your car usually does not count.
* Burial plots for you and members of your immediate family do not count.
* Up to $1,500 in burial funds for you and up to $1,500 in burial funds for your spouse may not count.
* If you are blind or have a disability, some items may not count if you plan to use them to work or earn extra income.
Get answers to your Social Security questions each Thursday from the Social Security District Director Martin Coffey. Submit questions by writing to Business Editor Dave Flessner, Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by emailing him at dflessner@ timesfreepress.com.