Disability Benefits
MR. WATSON: Disability income. Who gets the benefit?
- Worker
- Spouse
- Child
Worker
MR. WATSON: Now, you can't even apply until you are disabled for five consecutive months. So let's say you became disabled in January. When could you apply? June. Let's say they turned you down. Social security disability benefits are retroactive for 12 months, excluding that five-month waiting period. So if they turned you down in June, turned you down, turned you down, and finally in December they acquiesced, they gave in and said, yeah, you were really disabled when you first applied. How far back will they go? June. Social security disability benefits are retroactive for 12 months, excluding that 5-month waiting period.
MR. WATSON: You have to meet their definition of being disabled, which means the inability to perform the duties of any occupation. It must result in a medically determinable mental or physical impairment that can be expected to last at least 12 months.
MR. WATSON: If your doctors say it's not going to last 12 months, you are not even eligible.
Child
WOMAN: Child's benefit under disability-does it-it goes away at age 16?
MR. WATSON: No, at 18. The kid's benefit always lasts until what age? 18. S.S. does not pay for college. It pays while the kid is in high school, up to 19.
MR. WATSON: Social Security. When did it start? 1935.
MR. WATSON: Those not covered,
- Most federal employees hired before 84.
- About 25 percent of state and local government.
- Railroad workers-those guys are not covered.
MR. WATSON: The primary insurance amount is actually an amount equal to your full retirement benefit at what age?
WOMAN: 65 or 67, depending on when you were born.
MR. WATSON: 65 or 67. Very good.
