The Social Security Cash Benefits Programs are simply those branches of Social Security that provide income support. Cash benefits are provided to retirees and to those who become disabled before retirement. In addition, cash benefits can be paid to the surviving spouse and/or minor children of a person who was receiving cash benefits at his or her death. In some cases, cash benefits can be paid to the adult disabled children of a person who dies while receiving cash benefits. Cash benefits are sometimes paid to a person who is the legal guardian of a minor or a disabled person or a retiree who is no longer able to manage his or her affairs.
Cash benefits are available for retirement-age persons who have paid into the Social Security system for a certain period of time over the course of their working lives. Social Security Disability benefits are available from two sources: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). To qualify for cash benefits under Supplemental Security Income, you must have an extremely limited amount of income and assets and have a disability that is severe enough to prevent you from working. To qualify for cash benefits under Social Security Disability Insurance, you must have worked a certain amount of time and have paid into the Social Security system in addition to having a disability that is severe enough to prevent you from working. If you receive Social Security Disability benefits before retirement, those benefits will be converted to regular Social Security retirement benefits when you reach retirement age.
If your cash benefits are paid due to normal retirement, you will continue to receive them until you die. If you receive Social Security Disability benefits prior to attaining retirement age, your disability case will be reviewed periodically to determine whether you continue to qualify for benefits. If you recover from your disability or if your disability improves to the point that you can begin working, your Social Security Disability benefits will taper off or cease to be paid.
Cash benefits can be supplemented by Medicare entitlement and can be affected by back to work rules, type of disability, age of retirement, and other factors.
