Quick answer SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) are two separate federal disability programs. SSDI is an earned benefit based on your work history and FICA taxes. SSI is a needs-based program based on limited income and assets – no work credits required. You can receive both (concurrent claim), but SSI…
Go to ssa.gov/myaccount and click “Create an Account.” You’ll need your Social Security number, a valid email address, a U.S. mobile phone, and a mailing address that matches SSA’s records. The process takes about 10–15 minutes and uses either Login.gov or ID.me for identity verification. Once verified, you can view your earnings history, estimate retirement…
In 2025, 10 states tax Social Security benefits at the state level, but most of those states offer exemptions or income thresholds that reduce or eliminate the tax for many retirees. The other 40 states (plus D.C.) do not tax Social Security benefits at all. However, even in a no-tax state, you still owe federal…
The Social Security Administration’s national phone line is 1-800-772-1213. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired) use 1-800-325-0778. The line is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. The best times to call are Wednesday through Friday, later in the month, especially between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. or early afternoon on…
Opening a letter from Social Security that says you owe money is stressful, but you have 60 days from receiving it—plus 5 days the law adds for mail delivery—to act. Your three real options are: pay in full, request a waiver of repayment, or file an appeal. The counter-intuitive move most guides skip: filing an…
SSDI reconsideration—the first appeal after an initial denial—typically takes 3 to 7 months from the date you file, depending on where you live. The national average is about 4 to 6 months, but processing times vary widely because each state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) runs its own caseload. You can check the most recent state-by-state…
Yes, you can work part time while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and keep your benefits – but the rule is based on monthly earnings, not hours worked. For 2024, non‑blind SSDI recipients can earn up to $1,550/month without crossing the substantial gainful activity (SGA) threshold. Blind recipients have a higher limit of $2,590/month….
If the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied your disability claim, you have 60 days from the date you receive the denial notice to file an appeal. Missing that window means you lose your protective filing date and any retroactive benefits—often thousands of dollars. Your first move: read the denial letter’s “Evaluation of Disability” section to…
The lump-sum death payment is a one-time $255 check from Social Security for eligible surviving family members. It is not automatic — you must apply, and the window is limited. Many people miss this benefit because they assume Social Security will pay it without a claim. Who Can Get the $255 Lump Sum? You qualify…
Short answer: You do not lose survivor benefits if you remarry at age 60 or older (or at age 50 or older if you are disabled). Remarrying before those ages ends your eligibility, unless the later marriage ends in death, divorce, or annulment. This counter‑intuitive fact surprises many widows and widowers who believe they must…
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) can cut your Social Security retirement or disability benefit by up to $587 per month (2024) if you also receive a pension from work not covered by U.S. Social Security — and most foreign pensions count as non-covered. A few foreign pensions are exempt, but assuming yours is automatically exempt…
Quick answer Social Security pays you the higher of your own retirement benefit or the divorced spouse benefit—not both. You cannot combine them or collect one first and switch later if you were born after January 1, 1954 (the deemed filing rule locks you into both at once). If your own benefit based on your…
