Statistics

• In 2009, the Social Security Administration paid over $2 billion in monthly retirement, disability and survivors benefits to Ohio beneficiaries. More than $1.5 billion of the monthly payments went to 1.2 million retired workers that year. Overall, the Social Security Administration's Chicago region, which includes Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, pays benefits to over 8 million people in these states every month.
  
  

Qualifications

• The Social Security Administration has general requirements for all three benefit programs for you to meet. You have to have paid your Social Security taxes and amassed 40 work credits while you were employed. As of 2011, you earn work credits for every $1,120 made during the year. Only four work credits can be earned annually, however. But you may still qualify for survivors or disability benefits if you were to die or become disabled prior to earning 40 work credits. The disability program also requires you to have a long-term disability; a short-term or partial disability is not covered.
  
  

Benefit Amounts

• The Social Security Administration determines your benefit amounts by averaging your lifetime earnings. Each year, you and other eligible Social Security beneficiaries are notified via mail of how much you're entitled to. As for your family members, their benefit amounts are based on your earnings as well. They each receive payments totaling one-half of your benefit rate if they're entitled to either retirement or disability benefits. Survivor payments are determined by their ages. The Social Security Administration caps the amounts your family can receive, however; their retirement or disability payments cannot exceed 80 percent of your benefit rate, and their survivors payments cannot top 180 percent.
  
  

Taxation

• Your Social Security benefits are considered taxable compensation by the Internal Revenue Service if you have earnings and other taxable income. Up to 50 percent of your Social Security payments are taxed at normal income tax rates if your total income exceeds $25,000 per year, and up to 85 percent if it's over $34,000. The Internal Revenue Service taxes up to 50 percent of your benefits if you're married and your combined incomes exceed $32,000, and up to 85 percent if it surpasses $44,000.