Social Security Law in a Nutshell

Book excerpt: This book is intended to provide a broad overview of Social Security law and practice. It covers the two main titles of the Social Security Act: Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), with a special focus on the disability provisions of both programs. It begins with an introductory chapter that places current Social Security law and practice in its historical context, including a brief discussion of the circumstances surrounding the passage of the Act in 1935, the major amendments to the Act since 1935, and key Supreme Court decisions that have impacted the coverage and administration of OASDI and SSI. The remaining chapters can be grouped into three parts: chapters 2, 3, and 4 describe the central eligibility requirements for benefits under both programs; chapters 5 and 6 delve more deeply into the requirements for disability benefits; and chapters 7, 8, and 9 focus on the administration of the programs, including the roles of lawyers and other claimant representatives, administrators and administrative judges, and federal courts.