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Social SecurityEach year, we help hundreds of residents who are having problems with their Social Security and Medicare benefits. If you have had trouble dealing with the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), we might be able to help you. If the information below does not assist you in answering your questions or resolving your problem, please contact our Kentucky office. Frequently Asked Questions: How do I apply for Social Security Benefits? How do I apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? How do I apply for Retirement Benefits? How
do I apply for Survivors' Benefits? How do I apply for Social Security Benefits? To apply for benefits, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 1-800-772-1213. They have a TTY phone connection at 1-800-325-0778. You can also call the nearest local SSA office at (859) 294-5933 (Lexington), 502-875-2232 (Frankfort), 859-624-5714 (Richmond), or 859-236-3934 (Danville). You can ask SSA to send you the correct forms, and they can answer questions you may have. You can also access the forms on SSA's website. In order to qualify for disability benefits, you must be unable to perform work of any kind and your disability must be expected to last at least one year or result in death. You must also have worked long enough (earned a certain number of "credits") and recently enough under the Social Security System to collect disability benefits. The specific numbers depend on individual situations. The SSA receives numerous applications for disability benefits. Because of the large volume of applications, it can take a long period of time to receive a decision. If your first application is denied, you have 60 days to request a reconsideration of your claim. If that application is denied, you have 60 days to request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. It may take several months before a hearing is scheduled. If you are denied at the Administrative Law Judge level, your next course of action would be to appeal the judge's decision to the Appeals Council in Virginia within 60 days of being denied. Once the Appeals Council receives your file, it will take about two years for a review. If you receive disability benefits, the benefits won't begin until the sixth full month after the date the Social Security Administration decides the disability began. In addition, you must wait two years before you qualify for Medicare coverage. How do I apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? To apply for benefits or to ask questions, contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213. They have a TTY phone connection as well at 1-800-325-0778. Supplemental Security Income is an income assistance program administered by the Social Security Administration for people who are elderly (65 or older), blind, or disabled (physical or mental problem expected to last at least one year or result in death), who don't have many assets (the things you own are worth less than $2,000) and who don't earn much money (less than $520/per month if you don't work, and $1,073/per month if you work). These amounts change periodically. For the most current, call SSA at the above number.You can generally expect an answer on whether you are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) within two to six months. How do I apply for Retirement Benefits? To apply for benefits or to get more information about the SSA retirement program, call 1-800-772-1213. They have a TTY phone connection as well at 1-800-325-0778. In order to be eligible for retirement benefits, you have to have enough "credits" (10 years of work--you earn one credit per certain amount of money that you make) and have paid into Social Security. The age required for eligibility for SSA retirement benefits varies depending on the year in which you were born. The age range is 65 to 67, but you can apply as early as age 62. If you apply early, the benefits you receive will be reduced, but you will receive them for a longer time. The amount you receive depends on how much you earned when you were working. You can also delay applying for Social Security retirement. If you do so, your extra income may increase your benefit amount, and you will receive a credit. To find out more about credit you may receive, contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. How do I apply for Survivors' Benefits? A family member or other person responsible for the beneficiary's affairs should do the following:
One-time Lump Sum Death Benefit If there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child who was
eligible for benefits on the beneficiary's earnings record in the
month of death. |
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Washington, D.C. Office: 1504 Longworth Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, Phone: (202) 225-4706 Kentucky Office: 1010 Monarch Street, Suite 310, Lexington, KY 40513, Phone: (859) 219-1366 Site Tools | Privacy Policy |