Some Answers to Your Social Security Benefits Questions
Posted 06/11/09
Q: I own a business, but do not run it myself. Would I still be eligible to receive Social Security benefits?A: As defined by the Social Security Administration, disability is the "inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity." They determine substantial gainful activity according to the National Average Wage Index, which gives a dollar amount per month. The SSA considers an applicant to be working or employed at any time the that person "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."
Your business income may affect your social security benefits. If that income goes over the predetermined substantial gainful activity (SGA) level, the SSA may consider it a substantial income. This level is determined by comparing your business earnings to your pre disability earnings, and the earnings of a non disabled person engaged in the same business.
Q: What will happen to my claim if I die while in the process of applying for benefits?
A: The SSA states that when an individual who was or could have been eligible to receive social security benefits becomes deceased, surviving family member can request 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. To do this, surviving family members need to prove that their deceased relative did or could have qualified for social security benefits in the month that they died.
Lump Sum Death Payment of social security benefits is available only to particular surviving family members. When making the claim, the family will need to provide information and records about the deceased's social security benefits eligibility and application (if there was one). They will also request evidence of the deceased's 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: A person who has worked and paid social security taxes may be eligible for survivor's benefits upon their death. In general, for family members to receive survivor's social security benefits, ten or so years of work will be needed (though this does vary). Survivors' social security benefits can be paid to:
• 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) • Children of any age disabled before the age of 22 • Dependent parents who are 62 years old or older.
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