Who is Eligible for Social Security?
Eligibility for Social Security benefits depends on several factors, including:
- Age
- Prior receipt of social security benefits
- Number of marriages
- Marriage status (at time of filing)
- Payment of U.S. social security taxes
- Current or former government employee
- Citizenship (i.e., U.S. Citizen, American Indian, Non-citizen lawfully admitted to the U.S.)
- State and location of residence (e.g., private residence, nursing home, jail/correctional facility)
- Current disabilities or illnesses
I was Denied Social Security Benefits. What are Some Possible Reasons why?
The reasons for a denial of benefits depend on which type of benefits you were trying to get, such as: - Retirement benefits - You do not meet the minimum age requirement OR you indicated that you have never worked in a job where you paid U.S. Social Security taxes
- Spouse or divorced spouse - You do not meet the minimum age requirement OR you were never married
- Surviving spouse - You do not meet the minimum age requirement OR you were never married OR you remarried before reaching age 60
- Child - Your parent is not deceased or receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits OR you are over age 18 and you are not in high school and you are not disabled
- Disability - You are over full retirement age OR you indicated that you are not disabled OR you indicated that you have never worked in a job where you paid U.S. Social Security taxes
- Supplemental Security Income - You are not 65 years of age OR you are not disabled or blind OR your income or assets are above the SSI limits OR you are not a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted non-citizen OR you do not live in the U.S. or the Northern Mariana Islands OR you live in a jail or correctional facility
- Medicare - You are not 65 years of age or receiving Social Security disability benefits
Do I Need a Lawyer to Help Me Get Social Security?
The laws that regulate social security are very complex and confusing. An experienced administrative law attorney can help you understand which social security benefits you should be receiving. An administrative law attorney also can help you if you need to appeal a denial of social security benefits. |
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