United States Social Security is a social insurance program that is funded through payroll taxes called Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA).

The main part of the program can be abbreviated as OASDI or Old Age, Survivor, and Disability Insurance.

There are different requirements for social security eligibility in each program. Here is a general guideline to know your eligibility on each social security program.

Social Security Retirement Eligibility

• If a person is born in 1929 or later, said person should have worked at least 10 years to be eligible.

• If the person is born before 1938, the full retirement age is 65. For people who were born between 1943-1954, the full retirement age is 66 because of higher life expectancies. It will increase to 67 for those born after 1960.

• A person can start getting his/her retirement benefits as early as 62, although the amount that will be received will be less compared to what can be received if you start at the full retirement age.

Social Security Disability Eligibility

• If said person is working and is earning an average of more than $980 a month, he/she are not considered disabled.

• If said person is not working, the condition should interfere with work related activities. If it does not, then said person is not considered disabled.

• If the condition of said person is in the “list of medical conditions” kept by social security then he/she is automatically considered disabled. The list refers to conditions that are so severe that it automatically grants disability to the applicant.

• If the condition is severe but not on the list, it should be determined of it interferes with the work you did previous current condition.

• If it is proven that said person cannot perform previous work, then it will be investigated if said person can adjust to another work. Medical condition and age will be factors as is education, work experience and other transferrable skills. If proven that said person cannot adjust to a new work, the claim will be approved.

If it can be proven that he/she can adjust, the claim will be denied.

Social Security Medicare Hospital Insurance Eligibility

• Most people aged 65 or older and are citizens or permanent residents of the United States are eligible if:

- Said person is receiving or is eligible to receive Social Security benefits.

- Said person is receiving or eligible to receive railroad retirement benefits.

- Said person and his/her spouse have worked long enough in a government position where Medicare taxes were paid for.

- Said person is a dependent parent of someone who works in a government position where Medicare taxes are paid for.

• If said person does not qualify, he/she may get Medicare hospital insurance by paying a monthly premium.

• For people younger than 65. He/she may be eligible if:

- Said person has been entitled to Social Security Disability Benefits for 24 months.

- Said person receives a disability pension from railroad retirement board and meets certain conditions.

- Said person has Lou Gehrig’s disease.

- Said person has worked long enough in a government position where Medicare taxes were paid for and he/she met the requirements for Social Security Disability.

- Said person is a child or widow(er) aged 50 above {including divorced widow(er)} of someone who worked long enough in a government position where Medicare taxes were paid for and he/she met the requirements for Social Security Disability.

- Said person has permanent kidney failure and gets maintenance dialysis or kidney transplant.

NOTE:   Please call Social Security or check with your local  office to learn the most current regulations on Social Security that may have changed since the writing of this article.