Social Security Disability

Defining Disability

A disability is defined as a medical condition which limits a person’s ability to work. In general, the Social Security Administration (SSA) looks at a person’s ability to return to the job they were doing prior to the disability, or instead, at the possibility of training the person to work at another occupation. If a person is simply unable to return to work due to their disability, the SSA then analyzes the possible duration of the disability. A person who is expected to be disabled and unable to work for less than a year will not be awarded Social Security disability benefits. If, on the other hand, a disability is expected to last more than a year or if the disability is the result of a chronic and eventually fatal condition, this is considered grounds for the receiving of benefits.

Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits

The SSA has a process they use to determine if a person is truly disabled. The process includes various qualifiers such as:

• If the applicant is currently employed
• If the disability is bad enough to keep someone from working
• If the applicant can pursue a different occupation
• If the disability is listed on the SSA’s master list of disabilities

The SSA’s disabilities listing includes several different ailments which automatically qualify an applicant for benefits. These include both physical and mental conditions. All of the conditions must fall under certain criteria and must also be highly documented before a person is eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits.

Supplemental Security Income

SSI is another program offered by the SSA to disabled people who meet certain income requirements. It is designed to supplement the income of disabled people who have very little money. Additionally, people receiving SSI must have very little assets as well. This means that a disabled person who has little to no monthly income but a substantial amount of personal assets, like real estates, financial investments, or multiple vehicles, or wealth are not eligible for this program.

Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits

The SSA makes it fairly simple for people to apply for disability benefits. There are online applications available in addition to toll-free phone numbers staffed by representatives who are able to take applications and answer questions. A person can walk in and apply at one of many local SSA branches. If need be, an applicant's representative, such as a lawyer, can fill out the applications for the disabled person. Although the applications do not necessarily take a long time to fill out, the approval process for receiving Social Security disability benefits can be a long and arduous wait. During this wait, the SSA may ask for additional documentation to substantiate the disability case. Once a decision is made, the applicant is notified by mail.

Awaiting a Decision

If an application is denied, a person can file an appeal. If an application is approved, then Social Security disability payments begin immediately, as long as the disability occurred more than six months prior. The amount of money a person receives is directly related to the amount he or she earned when in the workforce. In some cases, family members, such as spouses and children, may also receive benefits based on the applicant’s disability, but these instances vary and are not guaranteed.

Receiving Benefits

Social Security disability benefits will continue as long as a person is unable to return to work. If a person is qualified as disabled for more than two years, he or she will be eligible for Medicare, regardless of age. Many disabled people want to return to work, so the SSA has programs in place to help people either get the training they need to obtain a different job or, instead, attempt to return to work on a trial basis without losing disability benefits. The SSA offers these programs since most people would rather return to work instead of being permanently disabled, and the less people utilizing Social Security disability benefits the better it is for the SSA and taxpayers in general.