Whether you were born with a disability or obtained one through an accident, the Social Security Administration has a program to help you receive monthly compensation through disability insurance. It is a person’s right to see if they are eligible for assistance, and you can do so with the help of a Greenville, SC social security attorney.
It is a highly complex process to go about receiving assistance from the Social Security Administration, which is why you need to have all the answers and know what to do beforehand. If you’re wondering what the benefits of social security disability insurance are, keep reading.
Understanding SSDI
When a person starts to receive financial assistance through the SSA, it’s usually done in one of two ways: Supplemental Secondary Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Both programs are very similar, but the main difference in qualifying is that SSDI looks at your work credits.
Social Security Disability Insurance is a program to help you or your family members receive monthly income for a disability that has placed you out of work. The “insurance” part of SSDI means that you are insured after working in a workplace that pays taxes to the SSA, and you have worked for a certain period of time to acquire enough work credits in order to receive benefits.
Eligibility for SSDI
You must meet the SSA’s strict requirements in order to be eligible for SSDI benefits. Here is a quick overview of the eligibility requirements you must meet in order to receive benefits and income for SSDI:
- You must have a disability that’s placed you out of work for at least a longer or resulted in death
- The disability must not be partial or short-term
- The disability must meet the SSA’s definition of a disability
- You must be younger than the full retirement age
- You must meet work credit requirements
More About Work Credits
We have mentioned several times already you must meet the SSA’s requirement for work credits to receive SSDI benefits, but what exactly are they? More importantly, how do you know you’ve acquired the right amount?
SSA work credits are acquired yearly as long as you have worked at a job that pays Social Security taxes. People who work at an SSA job can earn up to 4 credits per year and need at least 40 work credits in order to qualify for disability. 1 work credit is earned per every $1,510 you earn, meaning, you must earn at least $6,040 to get the 4 work credits for the year.
If you do not have the required amount of 40 work credits at the time you obtain your disability, you will not meet SSDI qualifications. This can be very difficult for younger adults who have not spent as much time in the workforce, but luckily this has been taken into consideration.
The SSA has broken down the accrual of work credits based on age like this:
- 24 years of age or younger qualify if they have at least 6 credits in a 3-year time period before disability
- Ages 24 to 31 qualify if they have credits from working half the time after age 21 until the disability started
- Ages 31 and up must have at least 20 credits in a 10-year period before the disability
Benefits You Can Receive with SSDI
If you are accepted and approved to start receiving benefits with SSDI, you will be paid monthly by the SSA based on their assessment of your age and needs. This monthly income is to give you a supplement for your unavailability to not work, but know that it will not be what you’re used to bringing in from work.
The average supplement a person can receive in SSDI benefits is between $800 to $1,2650.
This isn’t all that you can hope to get, thanks to a Greenville, SC social security disability attorney. They can help you gain access to other assistance programs, too, such as Medicare, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and additional benefits, depending on your case.
Other benefits your attorney may help you receive along with your SSDI can include:
- Worker’s compensation
- State disability insurance
- Home Energy Assistance Program
- More
How to Apply
Applying for SSDI benefits is not easy, and it’s recommended you do not do this on your own. Since the SSA is so strict on requirements and eligibility, more often than not, applications are denied. On average, 22% of applicants are accepted for benefits.
There are multiple reasons why people are denied. It can be one or a combination of the following:
- They fail to meet certain requirements
- Applicants are not cooperative
- They file their application incorrectly
That’s why it’s recommended to have a legal professional assist you in your application. They can file the claim on your behalf to make sure everything is correct and conveys your disability.
Here’s what the application process is like to file for SSDI:
- Complete the online disability form
- Complete the medical release form
- Cooperate with the SSA if anything extra is asked of you, like visiting a medical professional
The administration will then review your application and all information to determine if you meet their requirements to start receiving SSDI benefits. Be aware that the review of your application can take months, so do not expect to hear an approval or denial soon after filing.
Get the Help of a Greenville, SC Social Security Attorney
Still have questions about your SSDI benefits and eligibility? We can help. The attorneys at Robert Surface Law have been practicing as your Greenville, SC social security attorney for the last several decades. We know how tedious and complicated this process can be, which is why we are here to serve you and help you along the way.
If you’re looking to obtain social security disability insurance in South Carolina, we can help. We will review your medical records, disability, and work history to figure out the best way to proceed. Plus, we can help you file your application to make sure everything is filled out correctly.
Call Robert Surface Law today at (864) 300-4994 to get started.
