Qualifications for RSDI Beneficiaries

The Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) is the largest federally-assisted program that provides benefits to retirees, disabled workers, and their family members.



The Social Security Administration (SSA) said that RSDI beneficiaries should have worked at least 10 years in the US and should have contributed enough Social Security funds. Such contributions are acquired by withholding 5 percent of the workers' monthly salary.





Retirement



During the late 1930s, the retirement age in the US is 65, but with the availability of public hospitals and medical breakthroughs, the life expectancy of Americans has increased, prompting the government to raise the retirement age to 67 for people born in 1960 onwards.



Meanwhile, people can get their retirement claims as early as the age of 62 or as late as 70. When choosing early retirement plan, individuals will have reduced monthly benefits but at least they will receive this for a longer period of time. In contrast, choosing late retirement plan will have bigger monthly benefits to compensate for the years a person did not receive anything. However, these two plans will allow people to receive the same amount of benefits over their lifetime.





Survivors Benefits



Certain family members of workers, who have contributed enough Social Security funds and have died, are also eligible for benefits.



• Widowed spouses who have reached full retirement age. Meanwhile, they can also receive early retirement claims but in reduced amount. In some cases, even divorcees may be qualified for such benefits.



• Disabled widowed spouses who are at least 50 years old



• Widowed spouses who take care of the deceased child's age 16 and younger or disabled.



• Unmarried children under the age of 18, or up to 19 if they are attending high school full time. Adopted, stepchildren, and grand children may also be qualified for Survivors Benefits.



• Disabled children, regardless of their age, who have been disabled before the age of 22



• Dependent parents age 62 and older





Disability Benefits



According to a study conducted by SSA, a 20-year-old worker has three out of 10 chances of becoming disabled before reaching his or her full retirement age. With this probability, Social Security Disability Insurance is very important for all workers as it will give them monetary assistance that will allow them to buy basic needs even if they have lost their earning capacity.



Usually, disability claims are for people suffering from severe condition that prevents them from working. Also, SSA only provides financial assistance if a worker can prove that his or her impairment has lasted for at least five months.



After receiving disability benefits for two years, beneficiaries will automatically get Medicaid coverage which will provide them additional financial assistance to pay for hospital bills and medical expenses.



According to lawyers, a person who is receiving Social Security disability claims can also collect benefits from the State Disability Insurance or SDI which is only available in California, Rhode Island, New York, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and New Jersey.





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