Social Security Benefits Handbook Book

	Introduction	xi
Chapter 1	The Social Security Administration	1
Section 101	The Social Security Administration-In General
Section 102	Internal Offices
Section 103	Telephone Services
Section 104	Internet Website
Section 105	Field Offices
Section 106	District Office Personnel
Section 107	The Programs Operations Manual System
Chapter 2	Eligibility Requirements	19
Section 201	Eligibility Requirements-In General
Section 202	Retirement Benefits
Section 203	Disability Benefits
Section 204	Spouse's Benefits
Section 205	Child's Benefits
Section 206	Parent's Benefits
Section 207	Medicare-In General
Section 208	Lump Sum Death Payment
Section 209	Being Age 62 "Throughout the Month"
Section 210	Marriage Requirement
Section 211	Exceptions to the One-Year Duration of Marriage Requirement for Spouse's Benefits
Section 212	Exceptions to the Nine-Month Duration of Marriage Requirement for Widow(er)'s Benefits
Section 213	Child in Care Requirement
Section 214	Child Relationship Requirement
Section 215	Dependency Requirements-Children and Grandchildren
Chapter 3	Entitlement on More Than One Account	55
Section 301	Entitlement on More Than One Account-In General
Section 302	On Your Own Earnings Record and as a Husband/Wife
Section 303	On Your Own Account and Widow(er)'s Benefits
Section 304	As a Spouse and as a Widow(er)
Section 305	As a Spouse and as an Ex-Spouse
Section 306	As the Widow(er) of Two or More Workers
Section 307	Disability Benefits and Retirement Benefits
Section 308	Child Entitled on More Than One Account
Section 309	Other Combinations of Benefits
Chapter 4	Applications	67
Section 401	Applications-In General
Section 402	Protective Filing Statement
Section 403	Who May File an Application
Section 404	When to File an Application-In General
Section 405	When You Do Not Have to File an Application
Section 406	Retroactivity of Applications
Section 407	Rules on Medicare Enrollment
Section 408	When to Start Your Benefits-The Month of Election
Section 409	Required Documents-In General
Section 410	Proof of Age Rules
Section 411	Proof of Marriage Rules
Section 412	Special Problems for Business Owners
Section 413	Processing Time Frames
Section 414	Withdrawal of Application
Chapter 5	Disability Benefits-Special Provisions	111
Section 501	Disability Benefits-In General
Section 502	Definition of Disability
Section 503	Earnings Record "Freeze"
Section 504	Substantial Gainful Activity
Section 505	Date of Onset
Section 506	Unsuccessful Work Attempt
Section 507	Waiting Period
Section 508	Closed Period of Disability
Section 509	Trial Work Period
Section 510	Re-entitlement Period
Section 511	Effect of Workers' Compensation Benefits
Section 512	Effect of Other Kinds of Benefits or Payments
Section 513	When Disability Benefits End
Section 514	Continuing Disability Review
Section 515	Ticket to Work
Chapter 6	Insured Status-Work Requirement	141
Section 601	Work Requirement-In General
Section 602	Fully Insured Status
Section 603	Currently Insured Status
Section 604	Disability Insured Status
Section 605	Quarters of Coverage-In General
Chapter 7	Benefit Amounts	151
Section 701	Benefit Amounts-In General
Section 702	Computation of Benefits
Section 703	Reductions for Age-In General
Section 704	Recomputations-In General
Section 705	Deductions-In General
Chapter 8	Earnings Limitations	189
Section 801	Earnings Test-Introduction
Section 802	Earnings Limits-In General
Section 803	How Earnings Are Charged Against Monthly Benefits
Section 804	Monthly Earnings Test
Section 805	Income that Counts
Section 806	Income that Does Not Count
Section 807	When Earnings are Counted
Section 808	Self-Employment Income and Losses
Section 809	Special Problems for Business Owners
Section 810	Special Rule for the Year of Death
Section 811	Work Outside the United States
Chapter 9	Reporting Requirements	205
Section 901	Reporting Requirements-In General
Section 902	Reporting Earnings-In General
Section 903	Late Filing-Penalties
Section 904	Reporting Changes in Marital Status
Section 905	Reporting Changes in Student Status
Section 906	Reporting Child Not in Care
Section 907	Reporting Death
Section 908	Reporting Changes in Disability Cases
Section 909	Reporting Work Outside the United States
Chapter 10	Payment, Nonpayment, and Nonreceipt of Checks	217
Section 1001	Checks-In General
Section 1002	First Check
Section 1003	Regular Monthly Checks
Section 1004	Combined Checks
Section 1005	Special Checks
Section 1006	Direct Deposit
Section 1007	Nonpayment-In General
Section 1008	Suspension of Benefits
Section 1009	Termination of Benefits
Section 1010	Lost or Stolen Checks
Section 1011	What to Do if Your Check Does Not Come
Section 1012	Replacement Checks
Section 1013	Expedited Payments
Section 1014	When to Go to Your Congressman
Chapter 11	Overpayments	233
Section 1101	Overpayments-In General
Section 1102	Common Causes of Overpayment
Section 1103	Overpayment Procedures
Section 1104	Waiver of Overpayment
Section 1105	Without Fault
Section 1106	Against Equity and Good Conscience
Section 1107	Defeat the Purpose of Title II
Section 1108	Guidelines on Assets
Section 1109	Guidelines on Income and Expenses
Section 1110	Compromise Settlements
Section 1111	Guidelines for Accepting Compromise Offers
Section 1112	Repayment
Section 1113	Deductions
Section 1114	Installments
Chapter 12	Medicare	263
Section 1201	Medicare-In General
Section 1202	Hospital Insurance
Section 1203	Medical Insurance
Section 1204	What is Not Covered
Section 1205	Private Health Insurance
Section 1206	Assignment of Benefits
Section 1207	When to File Claims
Section 1208	Processing of Claims
Section 1209	Medicare Card
Chapter 13	Appeals Process	275
Section 1301	Appeals-In General
Section 1302	What You Can and Cannot Appeal
Section 1303	Reconsideration
Section 1304	Personal Conference-Overpayment Cases
Section 1305	Hearing
Section 1306	Appeals Council Review
Section 1307	Court Review
Section 1308	Time Limits
Section 1309	Reopening Closed Cases
Section 1310	Attorneys
Chapter 14	Miscellaneous Provisions	287
Section 1401	Supplemental Security Income
Section 1402	Black Lung Benefits
Section 1403	Benefit Estimates
Section 1404	Obtaining Your Earnings Record
Section 1405	Correcting Your Earnings Record
Section 1406	Reporting Change of Address
Section 1407	Claims Numbers and Beneficiary Identification Codes
Section 1408	Who Gets Benefits Due a Deceased Beneficiary
Section 1409	Taxation of Social Security Benefits
Section 1410	Immunity of Benefits from Creditors
Section 1411	Criminal Penalties for Fraud
Section 1412	Foreign Social Security Credits
Section 1413	Railroad Employment
Section 1414	Receiving Benefits for Someone Else-The Representative Payee
Appendix A	List of Secondary Proof of Age	307
Appendix B	Quarters of Coverage Required for Insured Status	309
Appendix C	List of Fica Yearly Maximums	315
Appendix D	Sample Benefit Amounts	317
Appendix E	Reduction Factors	319
Appendix F	Cost of Living Increases	321
Appendix G	Earnings Limits by Year	323
Appendix H	Most Common Beneficiary Identification Codes	325
Appendix I	Chart Summarizing the Effect Between Beneficiaries	327
Appendix J	Delayed Retirement Credits	329
Appendix K	Medicare Premiums and Deductibles for 2004	331
	Index	333
	About the Author	341