Thread: How many people collect Social Security but never paid in?

"How many individuals, who have never paid one cent into the Social Security Fund, are receiving checks?"

If you have never paid a cent into Social Security, you cannot collect a check, except in some rare cases, such as survivor’s benefits.

If a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes passes away, certain members of the family may receive benefits. Again, eligibility for the benefits depends on how many years the deceased had worked and how old he or she was.

Widows or widowers may receive full benefits at full retirement age or reduced benefits. Disabled widows or widowers may receive benefits as early as age 50 or if he or she is the caretaker of a deceased beneficiary’s minor child. There are several other such allowances.

According to the Congressional Research Service, as of December 2009, 52.2 million people received Social Security benefits. 64 percent of those beneficiaries were retired workers, 15 percent were disabled workers and 21 percent were survivors or the spouses and children of retired or disabled workers.

http://www.congress.org/news/2011/04/18 ... l_security

Congress Q&A: Social Security

By Frances Symes

"How long do you have to contribute into Social Security to become eligible to draw it out? What other programs draw money from Social Security?"

Anyone born in 1929 or later needs to have worked for 10 years in order to be eligible for retirement benefits through Social Security.

In order to qualify for benefits, a person must have earned 40 credits. A beneficiary earns one credit for every $1,120 of earnings, up to a maximum of four credits per year. Thus, if a person qualifies to receive benefits if they have worked for ten years and made more than $4,500 a year.

The administration keeps track of your credits even when you change jobs or are out of work, and they accrue over the course of your working life. There are special rules for certain kinds of work.

The Social Security trust fund is actually two separate trust funds, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI) trust funds.

Disability insurance is available to those who are unable to work due to “total disability.â€

[b]“Is Social Security funded entirely from payroll taxes? If so, is there a maximum income beyond which no payroll tax is deducted?â€

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

What is Supplemental Security Income?

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes):

It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and

It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/