A Social Security Lawyer Can Help You Obtain Benefits

A social security lawyer is a legal professional who is well versed in helping citizens collect their benefits. Social security is designed to help many different individuals including retirees, disabled individuals and relatives of those who have paid into the system. There are various theories on whether it's better to begin collecting benefits early or waiting till later. When a married or divorced couple are involved, the complexities become even more difficult to decipher. That's why a social security lawyer might be needed to wade through the red tape of collecting amounts due. The following factors will affect your case.

- Social security numbers: SS#s are important identification numbers that every citizen should have. In the old days, these were obtained before getting a job in order to track taxes and income. Today, newborn babies must get signed up for a card before their parents can claim them as dependents for tax purposes. These numbers should be kept private except when necessary for legal reasons such as filing taxes, applying for employment, seeking a mortgage or other type of loan. If this document gets into the wrong hands, identity theft could occur which could be a devastating experience. The SSA office states that it never gives certain numerical combinations such as 000, 666 or anything in the 800's or 900's.

- Age of retirement: An individual who has paid into the system can begin collecting benefits by applying at age 61 and nine months. By the 62nd birthday, the checks should start arriving. Age 65 is when an individual would be able to qualify for Medicare. Medicare is a government funded healthcare program for senior citizens.

- Waiting to file: An individual would be able to collect more in each monthly retirement check if he or she waited until age 65 or even later.

- Spouses: Spouses, whether divorced, legally separated or still married, can also receive fifty percent of their husband's or wife's SS benefit. There are certain stipulations that apply so should be checked out based on the individual circumstances.

- Disability: If a person is disabled, he, she or relatives can collect monthly checks through the SSA. Disability must be proven, however, or assistance could be denied; this is often a time when legal guidance is needed.

- Amount of benefits: The monthly amount a retiree or disabled person can collect is determined based on a formula related to income, age, years on the job, full or partial disability and more. There are various calculators online to determine this or the administration may send an estimated statement.

U.S. citizens have a certain amount of money deducted from their paychecks and paid into SS throughout their lives. The SS fund invests this money over the decades of a person's life so that there's a nest egg available when it's needed in old age or due to an injury or illness. Because of the economic situation of the United States, there may be questions about whether there will be money in the fund to pay out or not. If a person had any question, he or she should contact a social security lawyer to get the answers.

A Kansas City Social Security lawyer is the key to getting the resources you deserve under the rules of the program. To learn about it, go to: http://www.kalberglaw.com/.