The retirement age is the main element that influences the access to the social security benefits. Thus, there are several categories of retirees, some who were born before 1932 and retired at 65, others born between 1938 and 1943, with the retirement age set at 66, and finally another group of people born starting with the 60s who have the retirement age set at 67 years of age. This means that if one retires before time, the social security benefits drop with several percents depending on the age.

Delayed retirement is common occurrence too, when one tries to increase the credits in the social security benefits so that they can be passed on to the spouse after death. According to US law, a worker’s spouse and children can use the social security benefits, according to a regulation passed in 2000. In case of death, even divorced spouses can receive social security benefits. Disabled people can also receive various disability benefits when they have a long enough work history.

A legal hearing is usually appointed before determining whether the disabled will receive social security benefits or not. The number of applications for social security benefits is incredibly large which often makes it difficult for the Administrative Law Judges to cope with the hearings. A request could take as long as 90 days to be solved. Yet, there are people who have waited eighteen months for solutions.

A higher monthly revenue and a tax-free income, these are the two main advantages that come with social security benefits. During the period in which you qualify for disability services, your status is not that of an employee. the average earnings over the last 30 years will actually determine the amount of money you will get. A problem these years is the increase of the number of applications for social security benefits due to the world financial crisis.

The extra retirees are in fact putting more pressure on a system that is already seriously tried by recession. In fact, there are 150,000 more applications for social security benefit filed every year. These benefits have actually become a safety net during the recession as the chance to get a job decreases with age. Finding a job is difficult when you are getting closer to the retirement age and you lack possibilities.