Anyone over age sixty-five who has earned ten years, or forty quarters, of coverage qualifies for Social Security. Social Security also provides benefits for surviving spouses and children under age eighteen, and disability benefits for those unable to work until an expected retirement age. Monthly Social Security benefits will be adjusted up or down if a senior postpones retirement or retires early, respectively. Wages earned after retirement and above a certain amount will lower monthly Social Security benefits, and benefits may be taxed by the federal government if a recipient gains income from another source. A dispute over qualification or payments must be heard by the Social Security Administration before it can go to court.
Many seniors receive income from other sources.
Military personnel wounded in action qualify for veterans' benefits. The amounts of these benefits vary with the severity of the disability. Veterans' benefits are also available to parents, children, and spouses of deceased veterans. The Veterans Benefits Administration processes claims and oversees the disbursal of veterans' benefits. Appeals must proceed through administrative hearings and reviews before they can be heard in court.