North Carolina Social Security Information
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has several different benefit programs available to North Carolina residents. You can receive benefit payments from the federal agency if you are retired or disabled, and your family members can receive incomes if you die. As of early 2011, more than 43 million people in the United States receive benefits from the SSA.
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Social Security Disability
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North Carolina workers who cannot work due to long-term injuries, illnesses and impairments can apply for income benefits from the SSA Disability program. You would receive benefits based on your lifetime earnings while you worked. To qualify, you must have disabilities lasting for at least one year; terminal illnesses are covered as well. You must have also accumulated the required number of work credits during your time of employment. Credits are earned when you make $1,120 in a year; a maximum of four can be earned annually. The SSA requires 40 credits, with 20 being earned within the 10 years prior to your disability. However, if you are young and cannot reach this requirement due to your medical condition, you may still qualify for disability benefits.
Social Security Retirement
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The SSA also pays retirement benefits to you if you have worked the required number of years and earned the minimum number of work credits. Once you reach retirement age, which depends on when you were born, the SSA pays monthly benefits to you based on your highest 35 years of earnings. The earliest you can receive benefits is at age 62 and as late as 70; receiving benefits early reduces your benefit amounts, however. Your spouse, ex-spouse and dependent children can also receive benefits from the SSA based on your earnings. They would each receive payments totaling one-half of your full disability benefit. The maximum amount paid to your current family cannot exceed 80 percent of your full disability benefit, or their payments will be proportionately reduced. The amount received by your divorced spouse won't affect payments.
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Social Security Survivors
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The SSA also has a survivors benefits program which pays your spouse, dependent children and ex-spouse monthly incomes if you were to die. You can also receive benefits if your spouse or divorced spouse dies and was able to qualify for retirement benefits on her own. Benefit amounts are based on your earnings record and vary depending on the age of your spouse and children. For example, your spouse would receive 100 percent of your full disability benefit if she is at full retirement age but only 71.5 percent if she was at age 60. Your dependent children receive 75 percent of your full disability benefit until they turn 18 or 19 if they are still in school. Your divorced spouse's benefit amounts are the same as what your current spouse would get. However, your divorced spouse's payments won't affect how much your current family members receive.
Taxation
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The SSA allows you to work while receiving benefits; your earnings may reduce your payments, however. Benefits are not considered taxable compensation by the IRS if they are your only source of income. If you or your spouse has taxable earnings, interest or dividends in addition to your benefits and it exceeds income guidelines, the IRS could tax as much as 85 percent of your SSA payments at normal income tax rates.
Facts About Social Security in North Carolina
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You and other North Carolina beneficiaries are part of 9 million people living in the SSA's Atlanta Region covering the southeastern U.S. There are four telephone centers in this region, and 38 of its 250 field offices are located in North Carolina. Over $6 billion in SSA benefits is paid to beneficiaries in this region each month.
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