Social security retirement survivors and disability insurance beneficiaries

Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance. An acronym for three types of benefits SSA pays. RSDI is considered “Social Security” benefits and individuals are insured by Medicare. SSI is Supplemental Security Income, which is for low income individuals with a disability. Individuals with SSI are insured by Medicaid. SSDI is Social Security Disability Insurance and is paid to disabled individuals who have paid into Social Security and earned their 40 quarters or equivalent.

When one of the main sources of a family’s income suddenly ends, a lot of people wonder how they will be able to continue paying bills. Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance (RSDI) is a federally funded program that provides income to individuals and families who fit certain criteria.

RSDI can provide income after you retire and supplement lost income if you are hurt and cannot return to work. If a wage-earning family member dies or if a family member who was receiving disability benefits dies, RSDI benefits may also be obtained.

There are enough challenges when your family dynamics change. You shouldn’t have to worry about collecting the benefits you or your family earned. To find out if you are entitled to RSDI benefits, contact the Social Security Disability Insurance attorneys at Midwest Disability, P.A., in Minnesota. From our Midwest office locations, we provide legal assistance to clients throughout the U.S.

What Are The Various RSDI Programs?

There are three types of benefits you may apply for within the Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance system, including:

Retirement benefits: Applicants can receive benefits if they:

  • Are at least 62-years-old
  • Are not currently receiving their Social Security benefits
  • Have not applied for retirement benefits
  • Want benefits to start in no more than four months

Survivor benefits: Qualified applicants include:

  • Widows/widowers when they reach full retirement age (and age 60 or age 50 in certain circumstances)
  • Widows/widowers who support minors, age 16 or younger or if they are disabled
  • Unmarried children if they are younger than 18 (and older in certain circumstances)
  • Stepchildren, grandchildren, stepchildren and adopted children under certain circumstances
  • Disabled children whose parents have limited income/resources
  • Divorced spouses if they are at least 60 years old (50-59 if they are disabled) or if their marriage lasted at least 10 years

Disability benefits: Applicants are eligible if they:

  • Are at least 18 years old
  • Are not receiving their own Social Security benefits
  • Are not working due to a medical problem that is expected to last at least a year or end in death
  • Have not been denied within the last 60 days

Helping You Fight Back After Your RSDI Claim Is Denied

Many claims are initially denied. Don’t give up if you are not successful obtaining benefits at first.

If your claim was denied, or if you received less than you were entitled to, our experienced RSDI lawyers will help you fight back. From our offices in Coon Rapids, we provide legal assistance to clients no matter where they live. Call us today at 888-351-0427 or visit us online to schedule your free disability claim evaluation.

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Find out if you can collect Work Comp benefits too

Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance (RSDI) is a federally funded program designed to ensure the continuation of income to those who are disabled, have reached retirement age, or are the surviving dependents of those who qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance. Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance is the largest income continuation program of its sort in the United States.

Retirees qualify for full RSDI when they reach full retirement age, if they are insured under the SSDI system (generally, if they have worked 10 years or more in the United States). Full retirement age is 65 years old for anyone born before 1960 and 67 years old for anyone born since 1960. Partial benefits may be obtained by covered retirees beginning at age 62.

Survivors include widows, widowers, and dependant children of deceased persons who were covered by Social Security Disability Insurance. In some cases, it is also available to grandchildren, stepchildren, adopted children, adult disabled dependents, and dependent parents.

Widows or widowers are entitled to RSDI benefits if they are over 60 years old. They may qualify at a younger age if they are disabled according to Social Security Disability standards. A widow or widower also qualifies if they are the primary caretaker for the deceased’s children (16 or under).

Dependent children typically qualify for Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance if their parents were covered by Social Security Disability Insurance until they are 18 years old. Children still in high school qualify until they are 19.

Those who are completely disabled according to the Social Security Disability standards also qualify for Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance. To qualify based on disability, you need to show that you are completely incapable of performing any work for which you are qualified due to a physical or mental handicap.

Who gets retirement survivors and disability insurance?

Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance (RSDI) is a federally funded program designed to ensure the continuation of income to those who are disabled, have reached retirement age, or are the surviving dependents of those who qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance.

Is retirement survivors and disability insurance the same as Social Security?

Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance. An acronym for three types of benefits SSA pays. RSDI is considered “Social Security” benefits and individuals are insured by Medicare. SSI is Supplemental Security Income, which is for low income individuals with a disability.

Can you receive SSDI and survivor benefits at the same time?

Usually, you cannot collect the full amount of both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and widow's benefits, because SSDI benefits are a form of an early retirement program. You could collect the higher amount of the two programs as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

Does life insurance affect Social Security survivor benefits?

A life insurance payout won't typically impact your benefits if you're collecting Social Security due to retirement. However, if you have a disability and use the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, life insurance can affect your Social Security benefit.