Your Social Security Benefits Questions: Social Security Credits
Posted by admin on Nov 18, 2009
Social Security Benefits: Your Questions about Social Security Credits
Q: Social Security tells me that I don’t have enough credits to qualify for benefits. What are Social Security credits, and how can I not have enough of them when I’ve worked and paid taxes for years?
A: When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits that are used to qualify you for social security benefits. The number of credits you receive is based on both income and the number of years worked. The necessary income level for receiving social security benefits credits rises a bit each year; as of 2008, you receive one credit for every $1,050 you earn. These credits are also called quarters, as you can earn a maximum of four of them a year; any social security “quarters” that you earn during your working career will remain on your record even during times of unemployment.
A certain number of credits or quarters are required in order to qualify you to receive social security benefits. The number of credits you need for social security is based on your current age, and is calculated by the number of years you have worked. If you’re looking to be eligible for social security benefits for retirement (and are of more than 62 years of age), you will need to have 40 credits (the equivalent of 10 years of work).
However, it can happen that a person who has worked a seemingly appropriate number of years does not gain the necessary credits for social security benefits. This occurs to workers who, during their working careers, did not (or do not) have social security taxes taken out of their wages. This situation mostly occurs among Federal employees hired before 1984, railroad employees with ten years or more of service, and state and local government employees whose employers do not participate in social security.
Your lawyer will assure that the judge has a thorough and current picture of your medical history. Less than 60 days old is what most attorneys advise regarding your medical records.
Q: If you are looking for a social security lawyer, what types of things should you be aware of?
A: You should have a standard list of questions for any social security lawyer you are considering hiring. If you a candidate you are considering is part of a bigger general practice, find out what portion of their case load is Social Security claims. The experts recommend that your attorney should spend more than a third of his caseload on social security issues.
That being said, a decision on an application under initial review usually takes 3 or 4 months. In spite of the lack of mandatory timelines for the first review step for an application, it is important to note that there are deadlines for appeals. Missing a deadline for an appeal or reconsideration will have a negative impact on your social security disability case. In some cases, you may have to start at step one all over again. You are required to submit your appeal for reconsideration or hearing request no later than 60 days after you received notification that your case was not approved.
Thanks a million for the post. I could have used this info a while ago.