Seven Social Security Benefits You Probably Didn’t Know

The benefits of Social Security extend beyond the monthly payments the recipient receives.

If you’re receiving Social Security retirement benefits, some members of your family may also be eligible for benefits on your record.

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The Social Security Administration (SSA) says certain extended family members can receive a monthly payment of up to half of your retirement benefit.

This Social Security payments to family members will not reduce your retirement benefit amount.

The amount paid to family members will depend on your benefit amount and the number of eligible family members on file.

The SSA says the total amount you and your family can receive is about 150% to 180% of your full retirement benefit.

This includes spouse, ex-spouse or children.

We explain seven Social Security benefits that can make thousands of dollars for your family.

Spousal benefits

When you apply for retirement benefitsYour spouse may be eligible for benefits based on your income.

Another requirement is that your spouse is age 62 or older or is caring for a child under 16 or a child receiving Social Security disability benefits.

If you started receiving benefits before normal retirement age or full ageYour spouse will receive a reduced benefit.

To show you how much your benefits will be reduced: based on a monthly benefit amount of $1,000, if you were born in 1960 and started receiving Social Security at age 62, your benefits will decrease down to $700.

Spouse benefits can be as much as half of your benefits, depending on your spouse’s retirement age.

However, if your spouse is caring for a qualifying child, your spouse’s rights are not reduced.

Benefits for divorced spouses

If you are divorced, Ex-spouse can receive benefits based on your profile, even if you’ve remarried.

To qualify on your profile, your ex-spouse must have been married to you for at least 10 years.

They must be 62 years of age or older and unmarried.

Additionally, they cannot qualify for equal or greater benefits on their own Social Security records or someone else’s Social Security records.

If the ex-spouse is eligible for retirement benefits on their own file, SSA will pay that amount first.

If the benefit on your claim is higher, they will receive an additional amount on your claim to combine benefits equal to that higher amount.

The amount of benefits payable to your ex-spouse does not affect the amount of benefits you or your current spouse can receive.

Survivor’s rights

When you pass away, your family members may be eligible to Survivor’s Allowance based on your income.

For example, in 2022, you earn one credit for every $1,510 in salary or self-employment income.

Once you’ve earned $6,040, you’ve earned your four credits for the year.

The number of credits required to provide benefits to your survivors depends on your age at the time of your death.

No one needs more than 40 credits, or 10 years of work, to qualify for any Social Security benefits, but, the younger a person is, the fewer credits family members have to earn. receive benefits for survivors.

A widow or widower can receive benefits if they are 60 years of age or older.

They can start receiving your benefits if they are 50 or older and disabled.

They can also get your benefits at any age if they are caring for the deceased’s child who is under 16 and disabled.

Here is a breakdown of how much they will receive:

• Widow or widower, full retirement age or older: 100% of your benefit amount
• Widow or widower, age 60 to full retirement age: 71.5% to 99% of your base amount
• Disabled or widowed widow, age 50 to 59: 71.5%
• Widow or widower, any age, child care under 16: 75%

Also, one-time payment $255 can only be made for a spouse or child if they meet certain requirements.

Survivors must apply for this payment within two years of death.

Survivor’s rights for children

Your unmarried children under age 18, or up to age 19 if in elementary or high school full-time, may be eligible for Social Security benefits upon your death.

Your child can also get benefits at any age if they have a disability that started before age 22.

A child under 18 can receive up to 75% of your benefit amount.

Under certain circumstances, your stepchild, grandchild, stepchild or adopted child may receive benefits.

Parents’ rights

Your parents can receive benefits upon your death if they meet certain requirements.

For parents to be eligible for benefits, all of the following must be true:

• Parents at least 62 years old.
• Parents received at least half of their support from the deceased worker at the time of death or at the start of the disabled worker’s death.
• Parents provided timely documentation that the deceased worker provided at least half of their support.
• Parents are not entitled to Social Security retirement benefits equal to or more than the parent’s new rate of benefit.
• Parents are the biological parents of the deceased employee, or become biological or adoptive parents, before the employee’s death is 16 years old.
• The parents remained unmarried after the worker’s death.
• The deceased worker has enough work credits.

One parent can receive 82.5% of the deceased worker’s full retirement or disability benefit.

If there are two parents who will receive benefits, each can receive 75%.

Allowances for people with disabilities

The Social Security Disability Insurance The scheme (SSDI) pays benefits to you and your family if you’ve worked long enough and recently enough.

You must also pay Social Security taxes on your income before it is disabled.

You must meet certain requirements as determined by the SSA, including a disability that has persisted or is expected to last for at least one year or result in death.

This benefit is for life unless SSA feels you are no longer eligible.

Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for seniors who qualify and is worth up to $841 a month.

As a result of a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2022, SSI payments were average increase of $34 to $621 one month.

This equates to $7,452 per year.

SSI is a federal program that provides monthly payments to disabled or blind adults and children with income and resources below specific financial limits.

You may be eligible to receive SSI monthly payments even if you already receive Social Security disability insurance or retirement benefits.

We have more tips on how boost your Social Security payments.

Plus, much more about Increase COLA for Social Security beneficiaries.