Various government programs provide benefits to individuals whose employment has ended due to advanced age, physical, or mental disability, or economic conditions that are no fault of their own. How these programs work, how they are funded, and how individuals may qualify for benefits can best be fully explored with the guidance of your Phoenix disability attorneys.
History
Social Security has been around since the country was recovering from the Great Depression, and it has changed over the years in terms of the types of benefits it provides. Many would be surprised to learn that, originally, Social Security provided lump sum payments only to the primary retiree and also covered unemployment.
Now, unemployment is under a joint federal/state program, and Medicare has been added to Social Security retirement benefits, which have been expanded in scope of coverage.
Social Security
Phoenix disability attorneys may explain that Social Security is best thought of as an insurance program that requires individuals to be fully insured as a threshold requirement for eligibility. A minimum amount of wages are required in a three-month period, known as a quarter, and a certain amount of quarters based primarily on age lead to fully insured status.
Funded through payroll taxes jointly by the worker and his or her employee, or solely by a self-employed person, Social Security contributions are distributed among three separate trust funds held by the federal government.
According to Phoenix disability attorneys, Social Security currently oversees the following:
- Retirement for the primary retiree
- Benefits for the retiree’s spouse and children
- Benefits for the survivors of the primary retiree
- Disability benefits, including benefits for the spouse and children of the disabled worker
- Medicare
- Supplemental Social Security (SSI), which is a needs-based program that does not require a recipient to be fully insured. Benefits are paid through the general revenue funds of the federal government.
Unemployment
Unemployment insurance is a joint federal-state venture where much of the funding is derived from the federal government, but paid solely through employer taxes. Each state determines benefits such as:
- Who qualifies for benefits?
- What is the weekly maximum benefit?
- How many weeks do benefits last?
Contact a Phoenix Disability Attorneys for Legal Advice
Each program has specific eligibility and application procedures that can be confusing. Additionally, many are initially denied benefits. For any questions regarding your rights, call Schiffman Law Office, P.C. at (602) 235-0539.
