Your Social Security Disability Benefits Options

09/25/08

Q: Should I apply for social security disability benefits under my social security account or my deceased spouse's?

A: For most social security disability applicants, the goal is to get the largest payment possible. Sometimes the largest social security disability payment will come from the survivor's benefits you receive from a deceased spouse's account. Other times, the largest payment will come from your own account. In either case, you will need to determine the highest payment, as you cannot apply under both.

When deciding if you want to apply under a spouse's account or your own, calculating the highest social security disability payment is an obvious first step. The wisest thing is to consult the Social Security Administration to figure out under which account your payments would be higher. Whether the payments are higher under your own social security disability account or your deceased spouse's is determined by your current age, the severity of your disability, and your earnings record. If you do apply for survivor's benefits, you will generally receive full benefits if you are at full retirement age or older at the date of application (or over 50 and disabled). If you are under full retirement age but 60 or older, you will receive anywhere from 71 to 99% of your deceased spouse's social security disability benefits.

Q: I am receiving social security disability but I want to apply for SS retirement.

A: Generally, if you receive social security disability benefits, those benefits will be transferred to retirement benefits upon reaching retirement age. For most recipients, this conversion requires little or no effort. Speak to the SSA or a social security disability lawyer for more information.

Q: I heard the everyone has their social security disability application denied by the SSA the first time they apply. Is that true?

A: You have probably heard comments and complaints from many social security disability applicants that their claims are constantly denied; but in reality, not all first applications are rejected. In truth, the SSA has no rule in place that directs them to deny all first claims. One the other hand, it is also true that first claims are denied quite often, and that the highest success rate with social security disability claims is in appeals, not on first application.

Nationwide, 70% or so of social security disability claimants are denied on their first application. The biggest problem with this is that many who see their claims rejected do not know what to do improve their chances of being approved on the next application. In order to reduce your chances of being denied more than once, it is important to have a through understanding of the social security disability appeals process. Consult the Social Security Administration or a social security disability expert for more information.