Everyone in the United States, especially citizens, permanent residents and naturalized citizens are aware of the Social Security program. This popular and expensive government program was designed to support the needy Americans, primarily disabled and elderly ones.
How can a person benefit from the social security?
The social security system works by having working Americans pay out a portion of their income as taxes. By doing so, they become qualified to receive certain benefits upon reaching retirement age or contracting a disability.
Both the worker and his or her employer pay taxes to the social security program. The worker pays 6.2% of his/her wages and the employer pays the other 6.2%. Meanwhile, self-employed persons must pay the full 12.4% social security tax from their income.
The social security program concentrated on retirement benefits gets the 10.6% of the amount the worker pays while the remaining 1.8% goes to the program for disability benefits.
On Social Security Retirement Benefits
If you are entering the retirement age and assured that you have paid enough social security taxes to be qualified for retirement benefits under the social security, then you need to apply for them. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will not automatically provide these benefits for you. Application forms specially designed for those making a claim for retirement benefits must be filled up and submitted.
The form requests specific details like:
1. your social security number
2. proof of American citizenship
3. certificate of birth
Checking your benefit amount
Every year about the time your birthday comes around, you get a statement from the SSA giving you information on the amount you have paid in the retirement benefits program. You must use this statement in your application. Early on, if you notice a problem with the details of the SS statement, you have to make sure that it is corrected immediately to avoid problems when you finally claim your benefits.
The statement also gives you information as to the amount you will receive where you to retire at 62 years old and thereafter. Thus, you can also decide at exactly what age, starting 62 years old, you intend to apply for your retirement benefits.
Deciding on your retirement age
About two-thirds of people in the U.S. in their retirement ages prefer to receive their benefits as early as possible. Some of them are in urgent need of the money they are bound to receive and thus do not have much choice in the matter.
You have to consider many things in deciding when to apply for your retirement benefits:
1. retirement plans - whether you still intend to continue working
2. health and life expectancy concerns
3. your spouse's and other dependents' needs
4. accessibility of some other retirement plans you have set up before
Your social security retirement benefit is a significant matter that should not be overlooked. As an added security, the social security ensured the following:
* Until your death, you will keep on receiving such benefits
* Your benefits are adjusted based on the inflation, you need not worry of it losing value as time goes by
A legal specialist's added help
Before starting your application, it is also advisable to ask for the advice of a social security retirement benefits lawyer. If you are in Los Angeles, for example, it is much better to seek the legal advice from a lawyer of the said city. They have the authority to give you proper advice regarding your retirement concerns.
More information can be found about this topic on FAQ on Retirement Benefits and by getting the advice of a Los Angeles Social Security retirement benefits lawyer
About the Author
Lala C. Ballatan a.k.a Kay Zetkin discovered the pleasure of writing through her daily journals way back when she was 10. With writing, she felt freedom - to express her viewpoints and assert it, to bring out all concerns -- imagined and observed, to bear witness.
|
