How Do You Get Ssi
To submit an application for SSI disability, you go to a Social Security field office. The actual application is taken by a Social Security claims representative. Claims reps work at Social Security field offices and, in addition to a host of other duties that include inputting retirement claims, take SSI disability applications. After an SSI disability application is taken, it is processed and sent off to another agency that specializes in making medical determinations on SSI claims. In most states, this agency is known as Disability Determination Services, or simply DDS.
When an SSI disability application arrives, this is what happens at DDS. The file is immediately assigned to an individual who will process the medical portion of the claim. This individual is known as a specialist, or disability claims examiner. On the same day that the SSI claim arrives on the examiner’s desk, the examiner will begin to send out letters to the claimant’s treatment sources requesting the claimant’s medical records. Since many medical providers are particularly slow when it comes to copying and sending records, sometimes the wait for medical records can stretch out to a period of months, despite the fact that multiple calls may be made by the disability examiner along the way.
At some point, however, the records will arrive. After they do, they will be evaluated by the DDS disability examiner, who will consult with a physician who acts as a medical consultant.
Certain Government And Railroad Employees
There are some jobs that dont pay into Social Security. Federal government employees hired before 1984 are included in the Civil Service Retirement System , which provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. These workers did not have Social Security taxes deducted from their paychecks and thus are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits.
They may still qualify if they have earned benefits through another job or a spouse. However, in these cases, CSRS pension payments may reduce Social Security payouts. Government workers who are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System , which replaced CSRS, are eligible for Social Security benefits.
Most state and local employees have Social Security protection under a federal Section 218 agreement. However, some of these workersincluding those who work for a public school system, college, or universitywill not receive Social Security benefits if they do not pay Social Security taxes. They generally receive pension benefits from their employers.
Is Your Condition Severe
Your condition must significantly limit your ability to do basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering for at least 12 months. If it does not, we will find that you are not disabled.
If your condition does interfere with basic work-related activities, we go to Step 3.
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How To Find Your Work History
Each year the Social Security Administration provides a breakdown of your earnings, including your earnings for the previous year as well as a detailed report of your earnings history. You should receive a copy of this report by mail, but if you need a copy sooner than when it is sent out, you can request a Social Security Earnings report online or by phone.
Your earnings report will detail the years you worked, how much you made each year, the amount you paid into SSDI and the amount of money you would receive if you were to become disabled based on your earnings history through the last complete year of data.
You can contact the Social Security Administration for more information about the information found in your earnings report. Its a good idea to verify that the information included is accurate because this is what will determine your eligibility for SSI benefits and the amount you will receive.
In the event that you haven’t worked enough to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, you’ll be able to get Supplemental Security Income benefits. Social Security has two programs to assist people who are incapable of working due to a debilitating condition .
How To Qualify For Ssi Benefits
You can get Social Security Disability benefits even if you do not have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI. The SSA offers the SSI program to disabled adults and children who have limited financial resources. It is a safety net so that people who cannot work for a living but do not qualify to collect SSDI can pay for essential items, like food, clothing, and shelter.
To qualify, you have to meet the same medical disability standards as a person does for SSDI. In addition, your income must be low, and your countable assets cannot exceed certain limits. Specifically, you could qualify for SSI benefits if:
- You have a severe illness or injury that meets the benchmarks of the SSAs Listing of Impairments, also called the Blue Book.
- Your disability prevents you from supporting yourself through gainful employment.
- You have very little income. This income limit can change every year. In addition, the income limit tends to vary by location because SSI is a joint program of the federal and state governments.
- Your countable assets do not exceed the SSI limit. This number can also change every year. Your home and the land it is on do not count as assets. Most cars also do not count toward your resources.
You must satisfy all of these elements to be eligible for SSI benefits. If you are struggling to understand the qualifications for SSDI or SSI, our firm can help you navigate these matters and apply for the benefits you may be entitled to because of your medical condition.
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My Wife Has Never Worked Can She File For Social Security
Q. My wife has never worked. Can she file for Social Security?
Married
A. The short answer is yes.
Social Security benefits are based on the amount of income you earned during your working life.
However, a non-working spouse who has never paid into social security can still collect benefits under current law thanks to the spousal benefits option, said Matthew DeFelice, a certified financial planner with U.S. Financial Services in Fairfield.
He said once the non-working spouse hits age 62, they are eligible to receive benefits as long as the working spouse is currently receiving either retirement or disability benefits from Social Security.
The non-working spouse can collect up to one-half of the working spouses benefits regardless of the fact that they never contributed on their own, DeFelice said.
These payments will not decrease the working spouses retirement benefits, he said. In fact, the value of the combined benefits your wife may receive, when added to your own, may help you decide if taking your benefits sooner may be more advantageous.
Like standard Social Security benefits, spousal benefits do suffer from an early-retirement penalty.
If your wife starts taking the benefits as soon as she turns 62, her benefit checks will be permanently reduced by a percentage based on the number of months until her full retirement age, he said. If she waits until her full retirement age, her benefit cannot exceed one-half of your full retirement amount.
Get Started Open A Social Security Account
The first thing youll want to do is open your own social security account. Opening a My Social Security account online is easy. Its just like signing up for any other account youve opened online.
Once youve done that, it makes filing for Social Security spousal benefits a breeze.
This video explains how an account can benefit you and some of the things you can do with your online account.
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What Is Ssi And How To Get It
Providing SSI to adults who have not worked in the past but who are disabled is a possibility. SSI is also provided to disabled children. If a person has worked in the past, but has no insurance benefits at present or his earnings were low or sporadic at the time he worked and didnt earn him enough credits to qualify for disability but he is now disabled he, too, may qualify for SSI. Credits are earned by working for at least five of the last 10 years. The credits are based on income and are utilized to determine eligibility for retirement, survivor benefits and disability. SSI disability is specifically a disability benefit program. If you have never worked, you may still qualify for this service.
Undertake the process of filing with the Social Security Administration knowing that this can be a long and potentially arduous and frustrating process. You may need the services of an attorney who specializes in disability claims.
Producing medical records showing that you are disabled is imperative because you must substantiate your claim. Keep good records. Medical records must be current. You must get supporting information from your physician. If you haven’t seen your doctor in a long while you must make an appointment to see him so she can update her diagnosis and substantiate that you are presently disabled.
References
Can You Get Ssi If You Never Worked
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Subsequently, one may also ask, can you get Social Security if you never worked?
Even if you‘ve never had a job, you may still be eligible for Social Security benefits when you retire or become disabled. Social Security benefits are based on the amount of income you earned during your working life. Not necessarily — thanks to the spousal benefits option.
Also, can you get SSI if you don’t have enough work credits? If you haven’t worked enough to qualify for Social Security Disability, you may be able to get SSI benefits. Each year, an individual can earn up to four work credits toward being insured for Social Security disability.
Beside this, how much disability do you get if you never worked?
SSA Income Limits for Disability BenefitsThe FBR represents not only the maximum earnings per month, but also the maximum payment a claimant can receive each month. In other words, you can neither earn nor receive more than $733 per month. The FBR for couples is higher: $1,100 per month.
Can you get SSI with no income?
Technically Qualifying for SSI BenefitsStrict financial limitations mean that you will need to have little-to-no income to qualify for SSI benefits. You cannot earn more than $735 per month and qualify for SSI, or earn more than $1,103 per month and qualify as a couple.
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How An Attorney Can Help You Apply For Disability Benefits
If you have a disability without a work history, you can still apply for disability benefits and may be approved, even if you dont have enough work credits for disability benefits.
If that is the case, then you may want to work with a Social Security attorney. An attorney can help guide you through the Social Security application process.
Your attorney can look at your work history, or lack thereof and could advise you that you may have a better chance of getting approved if you apply for SSI benefits as opposed to SSDI benefits.
A Social Security Attorney can help you get Social Security disability benefits, even if you do not have enough work credits. Your attorney can help make sure you have all of your paperwork in order, including records from your employer or past employers, your medical records and your financial information if you are applying for SSI benefits.
Maneuvering the Social Security Disability system can be tricky at times, and most claimants should strongly consider using the services of an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer.
Not only are they thoroughly familiar with the laws regarding Social Security Disability, but they also know how to put your claim together in a manner which is more likely to result in an acceptance. Disability attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they will not be paid unless you win your disability claim.
Social Security Disability And Spousal Benefits
If you are not disabled but your spouse is, you may qualify for spousal benefits under the umbrella of the Social Security Disability program. These benefits can lead to a reduction of your Social Security Benefits as subject to the Government Pension Offset. This Offset, like the WEP, only takes place if you had a job where you did not pay into the Social Security System in the form of taxes.
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Medical Qualifying With A Mental Illness
The SSA conducts a detailed review of your medical records to determine your eligibility for benefits. During this review, they try to match your records to a disability listing in the Blue Book. The Blue Book is the SSAs medical guide that is used to evaluate every disability application.
Disability listings outline the severity level requirements and the specific medical evidence needed to support a claim for benefits. Mental illnesses appear in Section 12.00 and include:
- 12.06, Anxiety-related Disorders you may qualify under this listing if you have a severe phobia, post-traumatic stress, a panic disorder, or another anxiety-related condition.
- 12.08, Personality Disorders this is the listing under which you may qualify if you have severe, clinical depression.
- 12.04, Affective Disorders if you have bipolar disorder, your application will be reviewed under this listing.
Extensive medical records are necessary to qualify, including:
- Information on your diagnosis, ideally from a psychiatrist or psychologist
- Brain scans or other evidence of physical abnormalities that document an organic cause for symptoms, if applicable
- Treatment records, documenting medications, therapy, and other management methods used and their effects
- Thoroughly documented episodes of increased symptoms or periods of decompensation
- Well documented affects of your symptoms on your everyday abilities or activities of daily living
How Does Early Retirement Affect My Eligibility For Ssdi
Early retirement is the only exception to the rule stated above regarding the combination of retirement and disability benefits. It is still important to mention once again that no person will receive double the benefits, but rather a combination of both retirement and SSDI payments, adding up to your full benefit amount. Such is the case when an individual opted for taking early retirement benefits at the age of 62 and shortly after got approved for disability benefits. Social Security will then retroactively pay you the difference between your disability payment and your early retirement payment for the months during which you received early retirement payments.
However, the opposite is not true. If you started collecting disability benefits before being approved for retirement benefits, you will not receive payment for the difference and will likely be stuck receiving payments at the early retirement rate for the rest of your life. This is not an ideal situation if you anticipate needing to opt for early retirement and may qualify for disability benefits, it is recommended that you speak to a social security benefits attorney before filling out any applications. As you can see, SSA rules can be confusing and it is easy to make a simple mistake that might cost you money and this can be easily prevented with proper advice.
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How Do I Stay In The Sdi Program How Often Do I Have To Reapply
You do not have to reapply. However, you must tell SDI immediately if you:
- Go back to work part time or full time
- Recover from your disability, or
- Get any other type of income.
You must also imemdiately report the death of a person getting SDI payments.
At certain times SDI asks you to certify that you still qualify for benefits, and if you do not do this your benefits stop. If you are getting automatic payments, you are asked to certify after 10 weeks of getting benefits. If you are not getting automatic payments, you have to fill out a certification form every two weeks.
Once you are on SDI, as long as you are still unable to work because of your disability your benefit payments will continue up until the return to work date your medical provider listed on your application. If your disability lasts past that date, you and your medical provider must ask to extend your benefit period. SDI benefits replace up to 52 weeks of lost income, but if you get a partial benefit you might get payments for longer.
How To Qualify For Social Security Disability In Dallas Tx
If you suffer from a total disability and cannot work, you may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. These monthly payments can make a big difference for you and your family. Here, our Texas disability benefits lawyers provide a brief overview of these benefits and the requirements that you must meet to qualify for them.
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The Five Steps Of The Sequential Evaluation Process Are: