How Can I Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits
by Horace Hunter | Oct 6, 2021 | Social Security Disability |
Applying for Social Security disability can be complicated. A diagnosis is not enough to qualify for benefits. To receive disability benefits, you must meet the strict definition of disability. The Social Security Administration will assess your claim using these five questions, evaluating your answers against certain medical criteria for impairments.
There are two main benefits administered by the federal Social Security Administration : Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance . The main difference is that SSI is based on age/disability and income, while SSDI is based on disability and work credits.
- Supplemental security income : SSI provides basic financial assistance to individuals with disabilities and older persons.
- Social Security disability insurance : SSDI is paid to people who are disabled and have a qualifying work history. You can apply for SSDI at any age.
In general, disability benefits are paid out to people who are unable to work for a year or more because of a severe or total disability. There are income caps. If you earn more than $1,310 each month , then you cannot collect disability benefits.
Can I Work At All If I Receive Permanent Total Disability Benefits
A worker cannot work if he or she receives PTD benefits. The benefits are awarded because the injured employee is incapable of sustaining a job. Exception is made for those who have suffered one of the automatic statutory PTDs: they are permitted to work and still obtain benefits. Every situation is unique, however, and an experienced Ohio workers compensation attorney can help injured workers understand their rights and options to obtain maximum compensation.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury at work, the dedicated attorneys at Monast Law Office may help. Call our Upper Arlington workers compensation law office today to speak with a member of our team and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
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Need Help Applying For Social Security Benefits
The application process for Social Security disability payments can be complicated and confusing. If you need help, complete the form to be connected with an experienced Social Security Disability attorney. An attorney has experience with the application process and can guide you through the process.
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How Do You Apply For Disability
You can apply for disability benefits in person at your local Social Security office or over the phone at 800-772-1213. Additionally, most people can apply for disability online, although this is not an option if:
- You are already receiving benefits on your Social Security record.
- The Social Security office has denied your disability benefits in the past 60 days.
- Your medical condition is expected to last fewer than 12 months.
Whichever method you choose, youll need to complete a Disability Benefit Application and gather the required information and documents listed in the Adult Disability Checklist, such as your job history and medical records to support your claim.
Necessary medical information will include things like:
- The names and addresses of any medical professional youve visited over the past five years
- Documentation of your diagnosis
- The functional limitations caused by your impairment
- The physicians treatment plans
If your initial application gets denied, then you can file a Request for Reconsideration and request an appeals hearing before a judge. Applicants who get an appeal hearing typically have a much higher rate of success in qualifying for benefits. A skilled Ohio disability benefits attorney can guide you through this process and help you fight to get the benefits youre owed.
What Should You Know About Social Security Disability Benefits
To ensure that you dont make any mistakes that could delay your benefits or even disqualify you for benefits, have a California disability attorney guide you through the application process.
Here is what you need to know when you apply for SSDI or SSI benefits:
A Costa Mesa disability benefits attorney will guide you through each stage of the disability application process so that you may receive your SSDI or SSI benefits as swiftly as possible.
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Information You Need To Apply
Before applying, be ready to provide information about yourself, your medical condition, and your work. We recommend you print and review the . It will help you gather the information you need to complete the application.
Information About You
- Your date and place of birth and Social Security number.
- The name, Social Security number, and date of birth or age of your current spouse and any former spouse. You should also know the dates and places of marriage and dates of divorce or death .
- Names and dates of birth of children not yet 18 years of age.
- Your bank or other and the account number.
Information About Your Medical Condition
- Name, address, and phone number of someone we can contact who knows about your medical conditions and can help with your application.
- Detailed information about your medical illnesses, injuries, or conditions:
- Names, addresses, phone numbers, patient ID numbers, and dates of treatment for all doctors, hospitals, and clinics.
- Names of medicines you are taking and who prescribed them.
- Names and dates of medical tests you have had and who ordered them.
Information About Your Work:
- Award letters, pay stubs, settlement agreements, or other .
We accept photocopies of W-2 forms, self-employment tax returns, or medical documents, but we must see the original of most other documents, such as your birth certificate.
Do not delay applying for benefits because you do not have all the documents. We will help you get them.
Social Security Helps People Work Without Losing Benefits
Often, people would like to re-enter the workforce but are afraid they might lose disability benefits if they try to get a job. If you are age 18 through 64 and receive Social Security disability benefits, you can participate in Social Securityâs Ticket to Work program. The Ticket to Work program allows you to receive free employment support services and take advantage of work incentives that make it easier to work and still receive benefits such as health care. In some instances, you can receive cash benefits from Social Security, and you are protected if you have to stop working due to your disability. Learn about our Ticket to Work program or call1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 .
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Is Your Annual Income Low Enough To Qualify For Ssi
If you haven’t worked much in the last five or ten years, you might be able to qualify for SSI, but SSI is reserved for those with very low income and assets. For SSI, your assets and your current monthly income have to be below certain amounts. For more information, read about SSI income limits and SSI asset limits.
Benefits For Disabled Widows Or Widowers
If something happens to a worker, benefits may be payable to their widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse with a disability if the following conditions are met:
- The widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse is between ages 50 and 60.
- The widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse has a medical condition that meets the definition of disability for adults and the disability started before or within seven years of the worker’s death.
Widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses cannot apply online for survivors benefits. However, if they want to apply for these benefits, they should contact Social Security immediately at 1-800-772-1213 to request an appointment
To speed up the application process, complete an Adult Disability Report and have it available at the time of your appointment.
We use the same definition of disability for widows and widowers as we do for workers.
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Are You Able To Prove That You Can’t Do Any Type Of Work
Social Security will look to see if your condition prevents you from doing your previous work. If you can’t do your previous work, they will look to see if there is other work you can do. When making this determination, Social Security will consider various factors, like your medical records, your current abilities, and your age.
Does your doctor believe you’re unable to work? Your doctor’s opinion on your limitations is very important to Social Security. If your doctor doesn’t think your impairment limits you from doing full-time workâor worse, if there’s an indication in your medical records that your doctor thinks you’re exaggerating your symptomsâyour claim could fail. For more information, read about what to do if your doctor thinks you’re exaggerating and how to get your doctor to cooperate with you on your claim.
Does your condition make it difficult for you to perform daily activities? If you get by without assistance doing your grocery shopping, cooking meals for you and your family, cleaning your house, and paying your bills, Social Security might wonder if your condition isn’t severe enough to prevent you from working. Social Security looks at how your work activities and your daily living activities are limited to judge how severely a medical impairment affects your life and whether you can work. For more information, read about the importance of daily activities and Social Security’s daily activity questionnaire.
Collecting Through A Family Member
Look into receiving social protection bills primarily based totally in your partners advantages. If your partner has begun amassing social protection, and youre age sixty-two or older, you may qualify for spousal retirement advantages.
- If youre eligible for your very own retirement advantages, in addition to spousal advantages, the SSA will generally pay your advantages first. However, if the advantages youd be entitled to as a partner become better than your very own retirement gain, youll obtain that better gain amount.
- As with amassing ones very own social protection advantages , in case you declare spousal advantages earlier than achieving complete retirement age, the quantity is decreased from what could be payable at complete retirement.
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Where To Turn If You Need Help With Your Ssdi Or Ssi Application
If you have any questions or need help with your application, you can ask your friends or family for help. But you may also wish to have someone appointed as an authorized representative using a Form SSA-1696.
A representative can help you navigate the Social Security disability process, and they can also attend any interviews, conferences, and hearings with you. If your claim is denied and you have to ask for a reconsideration or appeal, a representative can be a useful guide as well. But you may also want to retain legal counsel if you arent successful with your claim.
At Hunter & Everage, we can help you file a claim for your Social Security disability benefits and help you through the claims process. Our experienced lawyers in Richmond, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina have years of experience working on disability benefits matters. Give us a call and lets discuss how we can help you.
The Social Security Act Defines Disability Very Strictly
Eligibility rules for Social Security’s disability program differ from those of private plans or other government agencies. Social Security doesn’t provide temporary or partial disability benefits, like workers’ compensation or veterans’ benefits do.
To receive disability benefits, a person must meet the definition of disability under the Social Security Act . A person is disabled under the Act if they can’t work due to a severe medical condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least one year or result in death. The person’s medical condition must prevent them from doing work that they did in the past, and it must prevent them from adjusting to other work.
Because the Act defines disability so strictly, Social Security disability beneficiaries are among the most severely impaired in the country. In fact, Social Security disability beneficiaries are more than three times as likely to die in a year as other people the same age. Among those who start receiving disability benefits at the age of 55, 1-in-6 men and 1-in-8 women die within five years of the onset of their disabilities.
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The Listings And The Blue Book
This confusion about social security disability benefits being limited to a list of diseases is an understandable one, given that at one point in the disability determination process reference is made to a set of criteria for specific diseases called the Listings. The Listings, however, should be thought of as a short cut to a favorable disability decision. The Listings are also referred to sometimes as the blue book, a manual containing the Listings used by medical professionals in the disability assessment process.
The following is a shortlist of the 2018 updated medical conditions listed in the blue book. Keep in mind that the items in the parenthesis are just some of the conditions under each specific group of illnesses a more comprehensive list outlining additional conditions and the criteria that needs to be met for each are found in the actual manual itself. This manual is freely available to check on the SSAs website and contains additional details that you need to know about specific types of illnesses.
The Basics About Disability Benefits
The SSDI program pays benefits to you and certain if you are insured. This means that you worked long enough and recently enough – and paid Social Security taxes on your earnings. The program pays benefits to adults and children with disabilities who have limited income and resources.
While these two programs are different, the medical requirements are the same. If you meet the non-medical requirements, monthly benefits are paid if you have a medical condition expected to last at least one year or result in death.
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Everything You Need To Know About Social Security Disability Requirements
When you are in pain all the time it is difficult to work but you dont know how to qualify for disability payments from the government. You might qualify for SSDI and also meet SSI disability qualifications. SSI is based on your financial situation and most people receiving SSDI are not receiving SSI. Social Security Disability Insurance is something that you have paid for all the years you have paid for Social Security. You are entitled to these benefits if you qualify. Lets look at the disability qualifications you need to meet.
Ohio Social Security Disability Lawyers
Hard-working Ohio residents pay Social Security taxes, assuming that disability benefits will be there for them if and when they should need them. The truth is, while the Social Security Administration makes it very easy to pay these taxes by taking them right out of your paycheck, getting those benefits when you need them isnt quite so simple. In the State of Ohio approximately 69.7 percent of the applicants who file for Social Security Disability benefits are denied benefits during the initial stage of the application process.
If your initial disability claim is denied by the SSA, your best bet of overturning the SSAs denial and receiving your benefits is at your disability hearing. This hearing will be processed by your local ODAR office and will be held by an Administrative Law Judge. The ODAR office that processes your hearing request will depend on the area of Ohio that you live in.
The State of Ohio has six ODAR offices that schedule hearings for Ohio disability applicants. These offices are located in the cities of Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo and Akron. Because these six offices must process disability hearings for the entire state, the processing times can be quite lengthy. Depending on which ODAR office handles your case, it can take anywhere from 265 days to 391 days for your hearing to be scheduled.
The table below outlines the approval rates and processing times for the ODAR offices in the State of Ohio as well as the national average.
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Can You Do Any Other Type Of Work
If you cant do the work you did in the past, we look to see if there is other work you could do despite your medical impairment.
We consider your medical conditions, age, education, past work experience, and any transferable skills you may have. If you cant do other work, well decide you are disabled. If you can do other work, well decide that you dont have a qualifying disability and your claim will be denied.