General public opinion had generated the belief that Social Security is designed exclusively for retirement. Contrary to this misconception, Social Security System offers a variety of programs that cater not only benefits for retiring individuals but also programs providing assistance for the disabled including their dependents.

This article focuses on Social Security program, particularly survivor’s benefits. More specifically, the article gives a thorough exposition of the fundamentals of Social Security survivor’s benefits claims.

Foremost, a brief discussion about Social Security survivor’s benefits is worthwhile.

Social Security survivor’s benefits are designed to provide the much-needed income to the surviving family members of a qualified decedent making their lives sustainable at least.

Not just anybody can apply for this kind of benefits. The Social Security Administration had provided constitutive requirements for a survivor benefit claims.

The survivor’s eligibility is gauged based on the decedent’s earning record showing his work, payment of social security taxes and earned work credits. The work credits are crucial in this respect because it would be made the basis for the survivor’s entitlement of this particular kind of social security benefit.

Worthy to note however, under a special rule, if you are only “currently insured” at the time of your death and relatively have only 6 credits in the 13 quarters prior to your death, your children and your spouse can still receive this benefits.

On the other hand, if you have determined your qualifications for benefits it would be wise to apply promptly, especially if you are not yet a recipient of social security benefits. This is for the reason that the benefits are paid from the time of application and not from the time that the worker died.

The application for benefits generally requires relevant information such as the following:

• the proof of death;

• Social Security number of the applicant as well as the deceased worker;

• marriage certificate if applying as a divorced widow or widower;

• dependent children’s social security numbers if available including their birth certificates;

• deceased worker’s W-2 forms or federal self-employment tax return for the most recent year; and

• the name of the bank and account number of the applicant so that the benefits can be deposited directly in the account

Some of the requirements mentioned above can be dispensed with especially to those who have already received Social Security benefits. However, it is essential to report the death with the Social Security office so that update and changes of payment would be made.

With reference to the amount of survivor’s benefits, the same relatively depends on the earnings of the person who died. The more the worker paid into Social Security, the greater your benefits will be.

Take notice that, there is a limitation to the payment of benefits to the survivor members each month. The limit varies, but is generally between 150 and 180 percent of the deceased’s benefit amount.

More so, reduction of benefits can be halted on the following situations:

• To those who get a pension from work that was not covered by Social Security, like the federal civil service, your Social Security benefit may be reduced.

• Those who are working and have been receiving Social Security survivor’s benefits and are younger than full retirement age, the benefits may be reduced if your earnings exceed certain limits.

However, the reduction of benefits affects only the survivor concerned and not the benefits of other family members.

A special rule applies to those who remarry. Generally, widow or widower’s benefits are not given to those who remarry before age 60.

However, remarriage after age 60 (or age 50 if disabled) will not hold the survivor from getting benefit payments based on the latter’s former spouse’s work.

At age 62 or older, the survivor may get benefits based on his/ her new spouse’s work, if the benefits are higher.

Like any other claim under the whole spectrum of Social Security, claimants are given the right to dispute the findings or decision of the Social Security Administration.

An appeal, to be specific, is given to the claimants. The latter process entails complex situations that need another careful elaboration.

The key thing in all types of claims is the right of the claimant to confer with a Social Security lawyer of their choice.

For credible information and expert representation on your survivor benefits claim, log on to our website and seek the assistance of our Los Angeles Social Security attorneys.

The Federal Reserve has made continual warnings about the collapse of Social Security and the President of the United States has also warned of the 2042 bankruptcy of social security. Obviously it is time for the rest of America to wake up. Many have and it seems any politician who talks about limiting social security will not get elected. This is a problem as they are afraid to address the issue.

Of course the longer that we wait to tackle this issue the harder it will be on us economically when we do. If you think citizens are not trying to protect this gift from the government, think again, as it is even an issue in local elections.

Having been involved in local city politics (250,000 pop city), it was amazing during the drawn out election process how many times I was asked about things totally irrelevant to running the city;

What is your Stance on Social Security? What is your stance on Abortion? How do you feel about Medicare? How do you feel about the new drug plan?

Interestingly enough city council people do not deal with any of that? And yes if you do not address these issues and fill out their forms and say the right things, I doubt you could even get elected at the City Level.

Government must remove its self from the collapsing social security problem and recall that FDR had proposed a ceiling on it? What was it $1300 one time payout? How did it get so high? It should have never happened. In fact if you put that same $1300 in an account at birth that person would be full amortized by retirement, problem solved; lets say doubling every 5 years rather than the average of 7.7 years over time now?

Of course parents could do the same thing, but do not. Smart financially literate people do, perhaps better education Senior Year in HS or Introduction in College, would be a very wise investment in our educational system? Social Security for those retiring now ought to come with a reciprocal responsibility of mentorship to younger folks, lets pass on that knowledge not waste it? Perhaps an Asian Concept, but it could bridge the gap to pass on knowledge.

You see retirees often feel that the younger generation does not care and will re-live their past mistakes without listening, indeed they probably will, but that does not have to occur. We need them, they need us and they are interested in helping, as I have traveled our nation and sat in coffee shops and received such information freely from them.

I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

Part Time Social Work in NYC can be very rewarding work. When you need a job, a good strategy is to search in an area where many jobs need to be filled. This article will guide you through the steps and information that you need for this kind of part time job. It will point you in the right direction to start your search and to the resources that you can use to maximize your chances of finding the NYC part time jobs that you want.

The field of Social Work has many NYC part time jobs that are both interesting and rewarding. During hard economic times, many people need some assistance. Perhaps, a person has lost his or her job and run out of resources, and now he needs to find housing, a job, or medical services. Maybe someone needs help leaving their abusive spouse, but does not know where to go or who to talk to. Part-time Social Work, while very demanding, is also incredibly rewarding as you can actually realize the tangible difference that you can make in the lives of people.

The other great thing about working as a Social Worker is the variety of NYC part time jobs under the social work umbrella. You can work in a school, at an assisted living home, as a substance abuse counselor, with children, with adults, with women, with men, etc… The list goes on and on. If you enjoy working with people and hearing their stories, Social Work may be just the place for you.

You should consider the following before deciding to pursue being a Social Worker in New York City:

Are you a People Person?

Social Work is all about people. Not only the people you serve, but the people with whom you work. If you are not comfortable handling a variety of situations, Social Work may not be the profession for you. As you walk around the city, begin to notice all the places looking for this type of worker. You will probably be very surprised at how many places utilize Social Workers. In fact, Social Work in one of the fastest growing careers with great potential in the future.

You must be a Certified Social Worker or CSW

In order to obtain your license as a Certified Social Worker, you must have earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or another related field. You must then take an exam, and pass it, in order to officially obtain your license. These exams vary from state to state and are specific to the area. You will want to be familiar with the guidelines and restrictions imposed on Social Workers for New York State. A good place to obtain this information is the National Association/Social Workers in the city. This website offers more complete resources as to how and where to obtain your license.

As a CSW you will be able to work at most entry-level Social Work jobs. You could lead group discussions, be a substance abuse counselor, work for Child Protective Services just to name a few.

Taking the next step — Masters of Social Work or MSW

Kristin obtained her MSW and then her license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or LCSW. This has allowed her greater earning potential, but at part-time hours. With a small son, she wanted to be home as much as possible during the day. She works part-time in the local Emergency Room on the weekends, spends five hours a week with personal clients in therapy sessions, and works two shifts a month at an inpatient hospital for the mentally ill. Not only does she love the variety, she loves her schedule. By working three part-time jobs, she earns enough money to be home with her son during most of each day, but doesn’t get burned out by seeing the same clients each day. She loves what she does and she is glad that she has the time to gain the extra license needed to gain more freedom of opportunity.

Traditional campus or online degrees are both available

With the internet, many people are choosing to gain their degrees at home while still working at other jobs. If Social Work is something which interests you, there are many colleges offering classes online. If you want a more hands-on experience, most major universities offer a Bachelor of Social Work degree.