What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL
Is there any hope for my mother, who is 76, but has only 4 credit hours, and currently not employed and not on any pension or retirement income to quality for some social security?
I don't think it's SSI or SSD, but the regular SS when one reaches 65 years old, except in this case she did not work enough.
"Regular" SS is payable based on payroll taxes called FICA or OASDI or Social Security/Medicare on an individual's earnings from their job or paid on the bases of a self-employment business profit when the tax return is filed. Entitlement is ENTIRELY based on paying enough years into the US Social Security system or being married long enough to a wage-earner. There is no "get a check just because of your birthday" program in Social Security anywhere else. She would have needed to earn a minimum of 40 quarters in her lifetime, which is roughly ten years of work, or maybe even 40 years of extra help at the local department store wrapping presents at Christmas. So apparently, your mother did not work enough and wasn't married to someone who worked enough. What was her own plan to provide for herself in her old age?
So NO. She does get paid a check just because she reached a birthday.
Now there is the SSI, Supplemental Security Income, program that pays benefits to the disabled or blind or persons who are age 65 or older, but this is a welfare program, a total government handout. But it has more requirements that just age as well. Other income, assets, money people give them, in-kind or cash support, citizenship, living arrangements. All make a difference in whether or not your mother could get SSI. Oh, and she has to be interviewed by a claims rep in her local office who will assist her in filing a claim. But she has to provide the evidence. And then SSI may require verification of all of her statements.
