To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria. Eligibility depends on the applicant's contributions to the Social Security trust fund, the severity of their condition, and their ability to perform work.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are intended for disabled adults (and their dependent children) who cannot work for at least one year or are unlikely to be able to adapt to new work environments in the future. These benefits, however, are only available to people who have paid a sufficient amount into the system (through payroll taxes) and have not yet reached retirement age.
Receiving disability benefits can be a confusing process. The laws governing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) qualification are complex. To help you apply for benefits, we've created a checklist of standard requirements for your claim.
To be eligible for SSDI, you must meet strict requirements such as time on the job, earnings, qualifications, and your intent to return to work.
To qualify for Title II Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the applicant must have earned 40 work credits, of which 20 must be achieved ten years before their application date.
To receive social security disability benefits or SSDI claims, you must be "disabled," and the goal of your gifts, most importantly, is to help you maintain your income and, ultimately, work and become financially independent. SSDI pays for health care services and supplies, including equipment, physical therapy, and prescription drugs.
For Supplemental Security Income (SSI), eligibility is solely based on the applicant's income level, not their work history or other factors. It does not matter if the applicant worked little, earned a large salary, or held a job for a long time. The applicant's income level, not their work credits, is most relevant to the eligibility determination.
Disability applications can be started online, by phone, or in person at the nearest social security office.
Much personal information is required to complete the application, most of which is about your medical condition and work history. Be ready to provide:
- A description of your doctors and other care providers, your medical tests, and what you're doing to get better now
- A list of ALL medications you take as prescribed by your doctors
- A listing of lab results, imaging studies, and other test results you've received in the past three years
- A list of your past jobs and duties be prepared to answer questions about any past jobs you couldn't do because of your medical condition.
- A description of how your medical treatment affects your daily life and your ability to work.
- Information about your job history be prepared to answer questions about your current and past earnings.
Publishing (and Enforcing) an Unfavorable Decision.
If you're fortunate enough to suffer from a long-term disability, you can apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. Just be prepared to jump through multiple hoops, like trying to squeeze blood from a stone.
If approved, you'll automatically receive payments from the federal government. At that point, however, the costs are made by social security disability insurance (SSDI), which is funded through your taxes.
So, while you're being paid for not working, the government is getting a free loan. Not an evil plan if you're a politician.
The first level of review is called a reconsideration (R.C. 4251.652). This is a relatively informal process where the SSA reviews the case and decides whether or not it will come up for a hearing with a judge. The reconsideration stage has been done away with altogether in some states.
Following the reconsideration, if there's no one (not all states have this), the case will be submitted to an administrative law judge (ALJ). The judge will hold a short, informal hearing, at which the SSA can present additional evidence supporting its case. But, generally, there are no witnesses called. And it's not an adversarial process.
ALJs approve approximately 60% of previously denied claims, which means the case can continue to the next stage. If a claim is approved, the following process will be for the applicant to file a request with the Appeals Council to review the ALJ's decision. Applicants do not always appear in front of the Appeals Council. Instead, this consists of a final review of the file by members of the SSA.
The applicant can file an appeal in federal court if a claim is still not granted. In some cases, the applicant may be awarded back retroactive pay to the ALJ's denial date. However, this is not always the case.
