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.
Social Security Disability Benefits For Dependents
Social Security Disability Insurance can pay benefits to the family members of someone who is disabled and unable to work. Spouses, children and even ex-spouses of someone receiving SSDI benefits may qualify for their own monthly payments. Each qualifying family member could get up to 50% of the amount the disabled beneficiary is getting. However, the total of payments made to the whole family cant usually be more than 150% of the disabled persons benefit. Consider working with a financial advisor as you develop or modify an estate plan.
SSDI Basics
SSDI is for people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes on the wages they earned but have become disabled before reaching age 62, when they can begin receiving regular Social Security benefits. The size of the monthly benefit they are eligible for varies depending on their work and earning history.
The amount of the SSDI benefit also goes up occasionally to make up for inflation. In October 2021, the average monthly benefit was $1,282.37, according to the Social Security Administration.
SSDI is only for workers who are disabled, which is defined as a condition that will last at least 12 months or will end in the persons death. The condition must also keep the person from working. Numerous medical conditions can qualify, but the government is generally strict about granting eligibility for disability payments.
Family Members Who Qualify
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Have been married to you for at least 10 years
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Not currently married
Bottom Line
Can You Get Ssdi And Ssi At The Same Time
In most cases, you cannot draw SSI and SSDI simultaneously. However, if you are receiving monthly SSDI payments that are too low, you may be able to apply for SSI as a concurrent benefit.
There are various factors that can result in low monthly disability payments. It could be that you have worked very little in the last 10 years, earned low wages during your employment, or were disabled at a young age, before you could build a substantial work history. Whichever the case, if you believe that your monthly SSDI is still insufficient for your needs, you may consider applying for SSI.
Remember that SSI is intended for those with low income. This means that to be eligible for this benefit, your countable income must not exceed $750 per month . The disability benefits that you are currently receiving are considered countable income, so these can affect your SSI application.
Applying for any kind of benefit from the SSA can easily get complicated, even more so if you are looking into more than one type of benefits. However, you have various options to find the assistance you need in your situation. To maximize the amount you may receive, it is wise to consult with a Social Security lawyer who can capably navigate the law and advocate for your best interests.
Call us at 855-806-4269 today for a free case evaluation.
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Drawbacks To Applying For Ssdi And Retirement
This can backfire on some people, however. If you apply for early retirement but do not receive approval for your SSDI claim, you may be stuck drawing a smaller amount of retirement for the rest of your life. If this happened to you, we may be able to help you in appealing the SSDI denial. You have only 60 days to file this appeal after receiving a notice about the SSAs decision, however, so contact us as soon as possible after you receive a denial.
Qualifying For Retirement Benefits
Retirement benefits, like SSI and SSDI, are a type of monthly payment paid to eligible Americans by the SSA. Once you have amassed enough work credits, paid into Social Security through federal taxes, and reached age 62, you can begin collecting retirement benefits. The amount of your monthly benefit depends on how much you worked, how much money you made, and whether you decide to keep working past the age of 62.
If you wait until your full retirement age , your monthly benefit will increase. And, if you are able to and decide to keep working until you are 70 years old, you can maximize your monthly retirement benefits. Once you begin receiving retirement benefits, you will continue to receive them for the rest of your life.
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Can I Receive Both Disability And Retirement Benefits From Social Security
In most cases, the answer is no. The benefits you receive through Social Security Disability Insurance, also known as SSDI, are the same amount that you would receive in regular Social Security benefits at your full retirement age. When you reach this milestone, the Social Security Administration will convert your current disability benefits into retirement benefits. For most people, the amount received in benefits will not change because of this conversion.
When Does Social Security Pay More Than Disability
The reverse of the above situation is if you are between your FRA and age 70. After you reach your FRA, your Social Security benefit amount increases by 0.8% for every month you hold off on electing. This continues until you reach 70, at which point your benefit reaches its maximum. In this situation, your monthly Social Security benefit would be larger than your monthly disability benefit.
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What Is Supplemental Security Income
SSI provides minimal basic cash assistance to disabled individuals with little recent work experience. To qualify for SSI, you must have a very limited income and less than $2,000 in assets .
Technical requirements for SSI. Unlike the SSDI program, you don’t need to have a certain amount of work history for SSI. If you meet the income and asset limits, you financially qualify for the program. Of course, you must also prove that you medically qualify by proving that you’re disabled.
How much does SSI pay? The amount of SSI that an eligible person will receive is dependent on the amount of regular, monthly income they have and where they live. The maximum federal SSI payment is $841 in 2022 .
When does SSI start? SSI benefits will begin on the first of the month after the month in which you submit your application.
What other benefits are available? Disabled people who are eligible under the income requirements for SSI are also able to receive Medicaid in the state they live in. Most people who qualify for SSI also qualify for food stamps. SSI is paid out of general funds of the U.S. Treasury, much like other safety net programs.
Who gets SSI? SSI applicants are somewhat more likely to be female, as fewer women are eligible for SSDI benefits . Women generally have fewer qualifying years of work .
Learn more about the SSI program and SSI benefits.
How Your Ssdi Payments Are Calculated
The severity of your disability will not affect the amount of SSDI benefits you receive. The Social Security Administration will determine your payment based on your lifetime average earnings before you became disabled. Your benefit amount will be calculated using your covered earnings. These are your earnings at jobs where your employer took money out of your wages for Social Security or FICA.
Your SSDI monthly benefit will be based on your average covered earnings over a period of time, which is referred to as your average indexed monthly earnings . The SSA uses these amounts in a formula to determine your primary insurance amount . This is the basic amount used to establish your benefit.
SSDI payments range on average between $800 and $1,800 per month. The maximum benefit you could receive in 2020 is $3,011 per month. The SSA has an online benefits calculator that you can use to obtain an estimate of your monthly benefits.
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The Best Age To Start Collecting
There are two schools of thought about whether to start collecting Social Security at 62 or wait.
The first is that everyone should start getting their money out of the system as soon as possible.
This theory is based on two things:
In other words, getting some benefits now is better than the promise of more benefits later.
The second theory states that you should wait until full retirement age in order to collect larger monthly sums. If you live long enough, this option will be more profitable.
Lets take a closer look at your total payout potential based on the age at which you begin collecting benefits. Assume your full benefit amount would be $1,000 per month, or $12,000 each year, and your full retirement age is 67. Heres the total amount you could receive from the Social Security program.
Starting benefits at age 62 would mean more money overall if you dont live past age 79. However, if you live to 79 or older, youd receive more money during your lifetime if you began earning benefits at age 67.
Can You Collect Social Security And Disability
Wondering whether you can collect Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance at the same time? The short answer is probably not. The long answer, however, is maybe. Social Security and SSDI serve similar purposes, but the requirements vary for each. Social Security is for those whove reached early or full retirement age, while disability insurance typically serves younger individuals who cannot work due to serious medical conditions. However, an exception may apply. We take a closer look in this guide.
A financial advisor can provide professional insight into the world of retirement planning. Find a financial advisortoday.
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The Number Of People Qualifying For Social Security Disability Benefits Has Increased
For over 60 years, Social Security disability has helped increasing numbers of workers and their families replace lost income. Several factors have contributed to this increase, which the Social Security Trustees and our actuaries have projected for decades. For example, baby boomers have reached their most disability-prone years and more women have joined the workforce in the past few decades, working consistently enough to qualify for benefits if they become disabled.
Despite the increase, the 9 million or so people getting Social Security disability benefits represent just a small subset of Americans living with disabilities.
Are There Spousal Or Family Benefits
Qualifying spouses and children of eligible disabled workers can also draw Social Security disability benefits. A spouse must have a disabled child or a child under 16 or be over 62 to draw a disability benefit. Divorced spouses still qualify, as long as they were married for at least 10 years.
A child can qualify for SSDI benefits if they are under 18 or in high school and under 19. People who were disabled before age 22 also can receive Social Security disability benefits.
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How Much Does Social Security Pay For Long Term Disability
For example, if you were receiving $1,500 in monthly long-term disability benefits and are approved for $500 in Social Security Disability benefits, your insurance company will start paying you $1,000 in monthly Long-Term Disability benefits because you are receiving the remainder of your benefit from Social Security Disability.
Divorced Spouses Survivors Benefit
If a disabled worker dies and was receiving Social Security benefits at the time of death, a divorced spouse is entitled to benefits in either of the following circumstances:
- The surviving divorced spouse is 60 years old or older.
- The surviving divorced spouse is disabled and between 50 and 60.
Just like the spouses surviving benefit, if the surviving divorced spouse remarries before age 60, the benefits will be denied unless the spouse was between 50 and 60 AND disabled at the time of the marriage.
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Can I Apply For Ssdi And Ssi Benefits At The Same Time
Anyone who has recently become disabled may be eligible to seek federal benefits in order to help pay for care and to make up for lost wages due to the inability to work. While the acronyms for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income are quite similar, the two programs have important distinctions. However, one common aspect of SSDI and SSI benefits is that they require the same definition of a disability. The Social Security Administration defines a disability, for purposes of SSDI and/or SSI benefits, as the inability to do any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
In other words, meeting eligibility requirements for SSDI and SSI requires the same medical evidence. Yet there are distinct additional eligibility requirements, and a person might not qualify for both SSDI and SSI. However, the SSA makes clear that SSDI and SSI benefits can be paid concurrently if the applicant is eligible. Our national disability benefits lawyers will say more.
Requirements for SSDI and SSI Are Distinct from One Another
Concurrent SSDI and SSI Benefits
You can be eligible to receive SSDI and SSI benefits concurrently. However, it is critical to understand that receiving both types of benefits ultimately may result in a reduction of SSI benefits.
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Benefits For Your Children
When you qualify for Social Security disability benefits, your children may also qualify to receive benefits on your record. Your eligible child can be your biological child, adopted child, or stepchild. A dependent grandchild may also qualify.
To receive benefits, the child must:
- Be unmarried.
- Be under age 18 or
- Be 18-19 years old and a full-time student or
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Benefits For Your Spouse
Benefits are payable to your spouse:
- Age 62 or older, unless your spouse collects a higher Social Security benefit based on their earnings record. The benefit amount for your spouse is permanently reduced by a percentage, based on the number of months up to their full retirement age.
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At any age if they are caring for your child under age 16 or who was disabled before age 22, and is entitled to benefits.
Should I Pursue Social Security Disability Benefits
Thus, the factors that one should consider when pursuing Social Security Disability concurrent with a FERS Disability Retirement application, should take into account the following questions:
- Will I be working at a private sector job, and if so, how soon after I begin receiving a FERS Disability Retirement annuity, and approximately how much will I expect to be making?
- While the combination of FERS Disability Annuity and the SSDI payments will net me more, will it be worthwhile if I go out and get a job that exceeds the Social Security threshold of acceptable limits? For, as a practical matter, while the offset against a FERS annuity payment is supposed to be recalculated by OPM if the SSDI benefit is lost, the reality is that OPM is a large and rather unresponsive bureaucracy, so that getting the full benefit back will often take up a great amount of time several months, at least.
- Do I expect to work at a private sector job that will make pursuing SSDI impractical, and therefore should I put in the minimum effort necessary to simply comply with the requirement of filing for SSDI?
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What Happens If The Adult Child Gets Married
If he or she receives benefits as a disabled “adult child,” the benefits generally end if he or she gets married. However, some marriages are considered protected.
The rules vary depending on the situation. Contact a Social Security representative at 1-800-772-1213 to find out if the benefits can continue.
1-800-772-1213
To speed up the application process, complete an Adult Disability Report and have it available at the time of your appointment.
Can You Collect Both Ssdi And Long
As a general rule, you can collect both SSDI benefits and LTD benefits. In fact, many long-term disability insurance companies require anyone who receives benefits to apply for SSDI as well. However, if you are applying for or currently receiving SSDI, you are not required to apply for LTD benefits.
Most LTD insurance policies contain a specific clause that mandates that beneficiaries will apply for Social Security disability benefits within a specific timeframe. For example, some LTD insurance carriers require claimants to apply for SSDI within one year of receiving disability benefits.
If you are approved for SSDI, you probably wont be allowed to double-dip, or be paid the full amount of benefits by both the SSA and the insurance company. Instead, your insurer will offset the amount of SSDI benefits from your LTD payments. The combination of SSDI and LTD benefits will then equal the LTD benefits you got before qualifying for Social Security disability.
Getting LTD benefits will not affect your SSDI application process or the benefit amount. If you receive workers compensation or other public disability benefits, this may reduce the amount of SSDI that you receive. Disability insurance benefits such as those provided through an LTD policy will not impact your Social Security disability payments.
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