Social Security is frequently viewed as a comprehensive program for seniors due to its extensive coverage. New statistics reveal that 85.6 percent of individuals aged 65 and above are benefiting from Social Security income, significantly exceeding those relying on any other income source. One Yet, there are older adults who do not obtain benefits from Social Security Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI).
What is Social Security?
Nearly all American workers receive retirement income from Social Security. Additionally, it provides Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to certain elderly people 65 years of age and older who have low incomes and resources.
Social Security may be able to help if you have a medical condition that keeps you from working for a year or more, or if your illness is predicted to cause you to pass away.
For surviving spouses and children, the death of a loved one can mean financial uncertainty and difficulties. Survivor benefits are provided by Social Security to widows, widowers, disabled adult children, and young children who have lost a parent or spouse.
Criteria to Claim Social Security
To be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, a worker needs to earn 40 quarters of coverage (QCs). A QC is recognized for a specific dollar amount of earnings in covered jobs, instead of being credited for a certain number of months worked. However, gathering 40 QCs takes a minimum of 10 years since a maximum of 4 QCs can be earned each year. The required number of QCs for disability benefits varies based on the age when the disability begins.
A portion of older individuals who have never received benefits are expected to qualify for Social Security, yet they pass away before they can access these benefits.
Who Do Not Get Social Security Benefits?
Those who do not get the social security benefits can be categorized into three distinct groups:
- Late-Arriving Immigrants,
- Infrequent Workers, and
- Noncovered Workers
Late-Arriving Immigrants
Most never-beneficiaries, accounting for 55.2 percent, are immigrants who arrive in the United States at the age of 50 or older. Due to their older age upon arrival in the United States, late-arriving immigrants find it more challenging than nonimmigrants and early-arriving immigrants to gather the necessary QCs.
Infrequent Workers
Approximately 34.7 percent of those who have never received benefits are infrequent workers. These individuals do not have enough work credits and lack significant noncovered employment, and they are not late-arriving immigrants.Ten The majority lack adequate covered earnings, with 99 percent falling short of half the qualifying credits needed for Social Security benefits. They lack sufficient noncovered earnings to qualify for the noncovered workers category.
Noncovered Workers
A small portion of the population, specifically 4.7 percent, consists of never-beneficiaries who are noncovered workers, with a significant number working for state and local governments. Due to their limited work history, occasional workers are ineligible for Disability Insurance benefits.
Conclusion
Approximately 4 percent of seniors do not receive Social Security benefits. A higher percentage of women, Hispanics, immigrants, the never-married, and the widowed are among those who have never benefited, and this group also tends to have lower levels of education compared to those who have received benefits.
