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Our
Social Security specialist:
Edwin
L. Hettinger
R.
Richard Hanson
Kalamazoo: 324-2000 Battle
Creek: 968-5000 Three Rivers: 273-7800 Sturgis: 659-6161 Coldwater:
(517)278-6800 Dowagiac: 782-2500 Fax: 344-3601 Statewide:
800-294-5055
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There are five
major categories of benefits paid for through your Social Security
taxes: retirement, disability, family benefits, survivors and Medicare.
Retirement
Benefits are
payable at full retirement age (with reduced benefits available
as early as age 62) for anyone with enough Social Security credits.
The full retirement age is 65 for persons born before 1938. The
age gradually rises until it reaches 67 for persons born in 1960
or later.
Disability
Benefits can be paid to people at any age who have enough Social
Security credits and who have a severe physical or mental impairment
that is expected to prevent them from doing "substantial"
work for a year or more or who have a condition that is expected
to result in death. Generally, earnings of $780 or more per month
are considered substantial.
Family Benefits
If you are eligible for retirement or disability benefits, other
members of your family might receive benefits, too. These include:
your spouse if he or she is at least 62 years old or under 62 but
caring for a child under age 16; and your children if they are unmarried
and under age 18, under 19 but still in school or 18 or older but
disabled. If you are divorced, your ex-spouse could be eligible
for benefits on your record
Survivors
When you die, certain members of your family may be eligible for
benefits if you earned enough Social Security credits while you
were working. The family members include: a widow(er) age 60 or
older, 50 or older if disabled or any age if caring for a child
under age 16; your children if they are unmarried and under age
18, under 19 but still in school or 18 or older but disabled; and
your parents if you were their primary means of support. A special
one-time payment of $255 may be made to your spouse or minor children
when you die. If you are divorced, your ex-spouse could be eligible
for a widow(er)'s benefit on your record.
Medicare
There are two parts to Medicare: hospital insurance (sometimes called
Part A) and medical insurance (sometimes called Part B). Generally,
people who are over age 65 and getting Social Security automatically
qualify for Medicare. So do people who have been getting disability
benefits for two years. Others must file an application. Part A
is paid for by a portion of the Social Security tax of people still
working. It helps pay for inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing
care and other services. Part B is paid for by monthly premiums
of those who are enrolled and from general revenues. It helps pay
for such items as doctors' fees, outpatient hospital visits and
other medical services and supplies.
Disclaimer
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