What Is Non Medical Disability
The inability to have a sustainable income because of a disability can leave you and your family in financial woes. To make matters worse, you may be unable to work to earn the income that supported you and dependents basic needs. That is where the Social Security Administration steps in with their disability benefits programs. If youre able to prove that you qualify for one of their programs, youll get access to financial help, which can make life a lot easier.
Currently, theres a lot of information available about social security benefits, but some of it can be misleading. For instance, many applicants might not get the right information about what is non medical disability and how it affects their benefits.
Here at National Disability Benefits, we have helped thousands of people make successful applications, and we continue to do so.
Are you curious to know if you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits? If eligible, you could get up to $2,788 a month and get the financial compensation you need.
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Non-Medical Disability
You can apply for disability benefits when a physical or mental health condition has made it impossible for you to earn a monthly income of over $1,220. However, your health is not the only thing used to determine the benefits you deserve.
How Can You Prove a Non-Medical Disability to the SSA?
What are the Non-Medical Requirements for Disability Benefits?
Social Security Disability Insurance Coverage Information
The Social Security Disability Insurance coverage information is the most important non-medical disability criteria for most Social Security Disability claimants. This includes information regarding where you have been employed, for how long, and how much you have paid in FICA premiums. Social Security Disability Insurance eligibility and the amount of benefits payable are based on how much you have worked the ten years prior to your Social Security Disability claim.
Work Credit Requirements In Ny
The number of work credits you earn in a given year is tied to the amount of your income. As of February 2020, one work credit is obtained for every $1,410 earned, up to a maximum of four credits per year. The general expectation is that a worker must have at least 20 credits prior to applying half of which were earned in the past 10 years to qualify for SSDI benefits. It is possible for younger workers to qualify with fewer credits.
The number of work credits you need to qualify for SSDI depends on your age at the time of disability. The older the applicant, the more work credits will be expected to have been obtained before applying. For example, a 60-year old applicant will need more work credits to qualify than someone in his or her late 20s.;
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Social Security Disability Insurance
Social Security Disability Insurance provides benefits to the disabled and, in some cases, their families. Individuals and their family members qualify for SSDI through the earning of Social Security work credits, and will only receive benefits if the disabled person was able to work long enough, and recently enough, to earn these credits.
Do You Qualify For Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits In New York
Social security disability insurance is a government program that pays monthly benefits to cover costs of living for those that are unable to work due to a debilitating illness or disability. This helps thousands each year who are unable to earn the wages needed to support themselves.
However, qualification process for SSDI is complex, and can be difficult to navigate. This is to ensure that only those that need compensation from SSDI benefits are able to receive it. Read on to determine if you are eligible for SSDI in New York, and how to apply.
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Your Disability Won’t Last Long Enough Or Isn’t Severe Enough
To qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits, the Social Security Administration must believe that your impairment is severe enough to last at least 12 months or result in your death. The only exception to this duration requirement is for blind SSI applicants.
Many claimslike those based on bone fractures resulting from acute trauma, such as automobile or motorcycle accidentsare denied because they are not likely to cause disability for 12 months. Almost all bone fractures heal in less than a year. However, if you have severe bone fractures that aren’t healed after six months, the SSA is then likely to think your impairment will last a year. Each case is evaluated on an individual basis.
In addition, your medical condition must cause you severe limitations to qualify for SSDI or SSI. Most claims are denied simply because the applicant’s impairment was not severe enough .
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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Medical Requirements For Disability
If you meet the non-medical requirements for disability, Social Security evaluates the medical requirements.; Your claim will be sent to Disability Determination Services ; DDS contacts your doctors for you medical records.; They may schedule examinations with a Social Security consultative examiner.; DDS will determine whether you are medically disabled.;;
Substantial Gainful Activity And Ssdi Eligibility
Another nonmedical Social Security disability requirement that only applies if you work and earn income when applying for benefits or while receiving them has to do with how Social Security determines whether you are disabled. Disabled means that you have a medical condition preventing you from engaging in substantial gainful activity, such as standing, walking, climbing stairs, and other work-related activities.
Your earnings from work serve as an indication of an ability to engage in substantial gainful activity. If you earn over $1,310 a month, it proves your ability to engage in substantial gainful activity, which means you are not disabled.
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Work History And Eligibility
Youve just finished a week on the job. On Friday, you receive your paycheck. If youre like most U.S. workers, youll notice that your take-home pay is less than your gross pay. Why is there a difference? Almost all employed U.S. workers paychecks contain payroll deductions. In other words, a portion of their earnings is withheld each period. This money goes to a handful of things. Some may go to group health insurance. Some may pay union dues. And, almost always, a fraction will go to FICA taxes.
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act is a mandatory payroll deduction. Therefore, as a U.S. worker, money is taken out of your paycheck to support federal programs. More specifically, these withholdings are used to fund Social Security and Medicare. As a result, when you pay FICA taxes, you are paying into SSDI. However, in order to reap the benefits of SSDI, you must have paid enough into the program while you were working.
What Is Technical Denial In A Disability Benefits Application
Home»Blog»Social Security Disability»What is Technical Denial In a Disability Benefits Application?
When you apply for Social Security disability benefits, you must meet a wide range of requirements defined by the Social Security Administration . It is only when you fulfill these requirements that your claim gets accepted. Technical denial is only one way your claim could be possibly blocked.
The toughest of these are the medical requirements. SSA basically requires that your medical condition must be severe enough to pose real limitations on your earning capacity. A large number of SSA applicants fail to meet this requirement. This is why medical reasons are one of the leading causes of disability claim denials.
However, many SSA applicants also fail in their claims over non-medical reasons. This is typically the case when SSA issues a technical denial in a disability claim. Heres a look at what is a technical denial and when is SSA likely to deny a claim in this way.
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Financial And Legal Requirements For Disability
Generally the first aspect of processing a disability claim has to dowith financial and legal requirements — issues that have nothing to do with a claimant’s medical conditions or medical eligibility.
The main barrier to benefits is that you can’t be making more than a certain amount of money from work and still be eligible for benefits. For more information, see our articles on how much you can work and still get disability benefits.
Social Security will also screen your file to see if you are eligible for one of its programs: SSDI or SSI. SSDI is for workers who have paid into the Social Security retirement system for years. SSI is for low-income people who don’t qualify for SSDI. There are different eligibility requirements for each program.
Medical Criteria Needed To Qualify
You will also need to meet the medical requirements to qualify for disability benefits. Both SSI and SSDI have the same medical criteria. You must show you medically disabled to qualify for disability benefits. To be “medically disabled” means that you are unable to do any substantial gainful activity due to your condition. To prove this, you will need to meet a Blue Book listing. The Blue Book is a compilation of all medical conditions that may qualify for benefits.
The Blue Book is divided into different sections, each with different listings that qualify for disability benefits. You will need to show that your conditions meets the SSA definition of disabling for your condition. It explains how each condition may qualify for benefits. You can find what you will need to show that you meet the listing. This includes test results, medical documentation. You can do this with:
- Test results required by your Blue Book listing
- Scans, x-rays, CAT scans, MRI’s
- Treatment plans
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What Is Social Security Disability Insurance
Disability payments based on how many work credits you have earned is called Social Security Disability Insurance. You accumulate work credits by paying SS taxes through employment. The most work credits you are allowed to earn in one year is four work credits. Legal SSDI requirements include:
- Having a health condition that is expected to cause death or prevents you from working for at least one year.
- Having a medical issue that meets the SSAs criteria of a disabling condition.
- Having worked for at least five out of the past 10 years. Wages earned during the past decade must have paid into Social Security.
- Being between 21 and 65 years of age. Depending on the year a claimant was born, retirement age may be considered 66 or 67 years of age.
You may also be eligible to receive SSDI while being employed but cannot make more than $1220 a month. In addition, people collecting SSDI may earn unlimited income from interest, investments or spousal income.
The Ssa Cannot Find You
The SSA and Disability Determination Services the agency that determines your medical eligibility for benefitsmust be able to communicate with you regarding your application. If these agencies cannot reach you to schedule examinations or communicate with you about critical matters, your benefits may be denied. If you name a representative to handle your paperwork, you may not need to get in touch with the SSA, but be sure to stay in touch with your representative or attorney. If you move while your application is being considered, make sure the SSA knows how to contact you. Claimants get denied every day because the SSA cannot find them.
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What Qualifies You For Medical Disability
In order to be eligible for DI benefits, you must: Be unable to do your regular or customary work for at least eight days. Be employed or actively looking for work at the time your disability begins. Have earned at least $300 from which State Disability Insurance deductions were withheld during your base period.
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.
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What Does It Mean To Be Medically Approved For Ssi
It means that you meet the medical qualifications, which is one half of the requirements to qualify for benefits. The SSA must determine if you meet the technical requirements, which in the case of SSI means determining if your income and financial resources are under the SSI maximum for both.
What Are The Nonmedical Requirements For Social Security Disability
Qualifying for Social Security disability takes more than proof of being disabled and unable to work. You also must satisfy nonmedical requirements to qualify for benefits. Each disability program, Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income has its nonmedical requirements for Social Security disability.
Here is a look at the nonmedical Social Security disability criteria for SSI and SSDI to give you a better understanding of what you need to prove in addition to the existence of physical or mental impairments expected to last more than a continuous period of 12 months or cause death. Working with an SSD lawyer at NY Disability ensures that all requirements, both medical and nonmedical, are addressed when submitting an initial application for benefits or when challenging an adverse decision on your claim through the Social Security appeal process.
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How Can A Social Security Disability Attorney Help Me
Obtaining SSD benefits can be complex and is almost always facilitated by having an experienced Social Security disability attorney by your side. To learn more about the requirements necessary to be approved for Social Security Disability benefits, speaking to an attorney at Carmichael Law Group can be extremely helpful. We will not only help you assess your eligibility for SSD benefits, we will walk you through the application process. If your initial application was denied, dont give up! We are well-versed in all the ins and outs of obtaining SSD benefits and can help you with an appeal at any level. Contact Carmichael Law Group today for answers to your questions and the help you need.
Contact us today for your FREE initial consultation.
Income And Resource Limitations For Ssi
If your monthly income exceeds the SSI Federal benefit limit , you will not be eligible for SSI benefits. However, its possible to earn or receive money that does not count as income. Income that does not count for SSI includes income tax refunds, scholarships, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program . You can find a more complete list of income types that do not count for SSI on the SSA website.
SSI recipients must also have limited resources. Individuals and children may only have resources worth a total of $2,000. For couples, the limit is $3,000. The SSA defines resources as anything you own that could be converted to cash and used for food or shelter. This includes but is not limited to cash, bank accounts, investments, land, vehicles, personal property, and life insurance.
Like income, some resources do not count for SSI. The home in which you live and a single vehicle used for transportation are two such examples. The SSA website provides a complete list.
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You Fail To Follow Prescribed Therapy
If you are being treated by a doctor, but fail to follow the doctor’s prescribed therapy when you have the ability to do so, you can be denied disability benefits. However, the SSA recognizes certain legitimate excuses for failing to follow the doctor’s orders .
Acceptable medical excuses. Failure to follow prescribed therapy can be excused for reasons beyond your control. Some examples follow.
- You have a mental illness so severe that you cannot comply with prescribed therapy.
- You have a fear of surgery so intense that surgery would not be appropriate. Your treating doctor must confirm the severity of your fear to the DDS consulting doctor.
- You physically cannot follow prescribed therapy without assistancefor example, because of paralysis of the arms or cataracts caused by diabetes.
Acceptable nonmedical excuses. It is possible that you cannot follow a prescribed therapy for a reason that has nothing to do with your medical condition. Acceptable nonmedical excuses for failing to follow prescribed therapy follow.
- You don’t have the money to pay for treatment.
- Your religious beliefs prohibit you from receiving medical therapy.
- Your doctor prescribes treatment that another doctor disagrees with.
For more information, see Nolo’s article on the impact of failing to follow prescribed treatment.
Financial And Legal Standards
According to the Social Security Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, approximately 10 million Americans are currently receiving disability benefits. To be eligible for these benefits, an applicant must meet the basic medical & disability requirements. However, medical requirements are just one step in the claims process.
To get disability benefits through SSI or SSDI, there are also financial and legal standards that must be satisfied. In this article, our experienced Tacoma Social Security disability lawyers provide an overview of the non-medical requirements for Social Security disability claims.
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