How to Get Social Security Disability
Know the basic requirements., Figure out your work credits., Understand the exceptions if you're a younger worker., Know what SSA defines as disabled., Check the SSA's list of Compassionate Allowances., Be aware of special situations., Prepare for...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know the basic requirements.
In order to receive Social Security disability benefits as an adult, you must be 18 years of age or older, and permanently residing in an American state or territory. -
Step 2: Figure out your work credits.
Generally, to be eligible for benefits, you must have worked in the recent past and earned a certain amount.
To determine whether people have worked enough to meet the requirements, the SSA requires people to earn a certain number of work credits.
Work credits are essentially income that is assigned a value.In general, you must have accumulated 40 work credits (20 in the past 10 years) to be eligible for disability.
In 2015, every $1,220 earned in wages or self-employment income counts as one credit, and you may accrue up to four credits per year.
When you have earned $4,880 for the year, you have earned your four credits.SSA has some exceptions and different rules for younger workers.
Click here for more information. , The SSA has some exceptions and different rules for younger workers.
For example, if you become disabled before you turn 24, you will qualify for disability if you have 6 work credits earned in the past three years.
If you are under 62, click here for work credit requirements.If you become disabled between the ages of 24 and 31, you will need to have credits for at least half the years between age 21 and when you become disabled.
For example, if you become disabled at age 27, you will need credits for 3 years (27
- 21 = 6 and then 6 divided by 2 for half of the years). , In order for you to qualify as disabled, SSA runs your case through a 5-step checklist.
Overall, the condition must be long-term (lasting more than 12 months or resulting in death), prevent you from doing the work you did before, and prevent you from adjusting to another form of work.Here are the specific questions SSA uses to evaluate your case:
Are you working? If you are working in 2014 and making $1,070/month or more, you are not eligible.
Is your condition severe? In order for a condition to be classified as severe, it must interfere with work-related activities.
Is your condition on the list of disabling conditions? SSA keeps a list of disabling conditions that are considered severe enough to warrant a disability claim.
If your condition is not on the list, SSA will evaluate whether its level of severity matches that of the listed conditions.
This is done on a case-by-case basis, however, the condition must be permanent or expected to result in death, and must prevent you from working.
Can you perform the work you did previously? In order to qualify as disabled, your condition must prevent you from doing your current job.
Social Security will only pay benefits for people who are completely disabled, so if you are still able to work part time at your current job, you cannot be paid disability.
Can you do any other sort of work? If you can't maintain your current job, SSA will evaluate whether you can adjust to new work, accounting for factors such as medical conditions, age, education, past work experience and transferable skills.
If you cannot adjust to a new job, you qualify as disabled.
In order to receive disability benefits, you must not be able to work at all and if you want to qualify for benefits, you cannot make income from working.
This includes doing freelance work or working occasionally. , For these conditions, disability benefits are approved as soon as a diagnosis is confirmed, with no waiting period for benefits.The illnesses on this list are generally terminal, and include conditions such as acute leukemia, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), and inoperable cancers. , SSA will assess benefits differently for those who are visually impaired, disabled widows or widowers (cannot apply online), wounded warriors (go here) and disabled children (see section below).
For example, if you are blind, SSA does not require you to have as many work credits as they normally would (instead of 40, you must have 20 if you are over the age of 31). , Unless your condition is listed as a Compassionate Allowance, you'll probably have to wait five full calendar months to being receiving benefits.
Most people see their first check come in at the beginning of the sixth month after the disability began.
This waiting period is in place to insure that only applicants suffering from long-term disability, and not short-term or partial disability, receive benefits.
If, after you apply for disability benefits but before you have been accepted, you are diagnosed with a condition that qualifies as a compassionate allowance condition, you should call your local Social Security office and inform them of the change.
It is likely that you will have to provide documentation of your new condition and go into the office in order to change your application. -
Step 3: Understand the exceptions if you're a younger worker.
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Step 4: Know what SSA defines as disabled.
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Step 5: Check the SSA's list of Compassionate Allowances.
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Step 6: Be aware of special situations.
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Step 7: Prepare for the waiting period.
Detailed Guide
In order to receive Social Security disability benefits as an adult, you must be 18 years of age or older, and permanently residing in an American state or territory.
Generally, to be eligible for benefits, you must have worked in the recent past and earned a certain amount.
To determine whether people have worked enough to meet the requirements, the SSA requires people to earn a certain number of work credits.
Work credits are essentially income that is assigned a value.In general, you must have accumulated 40 work credits (20 in the past 10 years) to be eligible for disability.
In 2015, every $1,220 earned in wages or self-employment income counts as one credit, and you may accrue up to four credits per year.
When you have earned $4,880 for the year, you have earned your four credits.SSA has some exceptions and different rules for younger workers.
Click here for more information. , The SSA has some exceptions and different rules for younger workers.
For example, if you become disabled before you turn 24, you will qualify for disability if you have 6 work credits earned in the past three years.
If you are under 62, click here for work credit requirements.If you become disabled between the ages of 24 and 31, you will need to have credits for at least half the years between age 21 and when you become disabled.
For example, if you become disabled at age 27, you will need credits for 3 years (27
- 21 = 6 and then 6 divided by 2 for half of the years). , In order for you to qualify as disabled, SSA runs your case through a 5-step checklist.
Overall, the condition must be long-term (lasting more than 12 months or resulting in death), prevent you from doing the work you did before, and prevent you from adjusting to another form of work.Here are the specific questions SSA uses to evaluate your case:
Are you working? If you are working in 2014 and making $1,070/month or more, you are not eligible.
Is your condition severe? In order for a condition to be classified as severe, it must interfere with work-related activities.
Is your condition on the list of disabling conditions? SSA keeps a list of disabling conditions that are considered severe enough to warrant a disability claim.
If your condition is not on the list, SSA will evaluate whether its level of severity matches that of the listed conditions.
This is done on a case-by-case basis, however, the condition must be permanent or expected to result in death, and must prevent you from working.
Can you perform the work you did previously? In order to qualify as disabled, your condition must prevent you from doing your current job.
Social Security will only pay benefits for people who are completely disabled, so if you are still able to work part time at your current job, you cannot be paid disability.
Can you do any other sort of work? If you can't maintain your current job, SSA will evaluate whether you can adjust to new work, accounting for factors such as medical conditions, age, education, past work experience and transferable skills.
If you cannot adjust to a new job, you qualify as disabled.
In order to receive disability benefits, you must not be able to work at all and if you want to qualify for benefits, you cannot make income from working.
This includes doing freelance work or working occasionally. , For these conditions, disability benefits are approved as soon as a diagnosis is confirmed, with no waiting period for benefits.The illnesses on this list are generally terminal, and include conditions such as acute leukemia, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), and inoperable cancers. , SSA will assess benefits differently for those who are visually impaired, disabled widows or widowers (cannot apply online), wounded warriors (go here) and disabled children (see section below).
For example, if you are blind, SSA does not require you to have as many work credits as they normally would (instead of 40, you must have 20 if you are over the age of 31). , Unless your condition is listed as a Compassionate Allowance, you'll probably have to wait five full calendar months to being receiving benefits.
Most people see their first check come in at the beginning of the sixth month after the disability began.
This waiting period is in place to insure that only applicants suffering from long-term disability, and not short-term or partial disability, receive benefits.
If, after you apply for disability benefits but before you have been accepted, you are diagnosed with a condition that qualifies as a compassionate allowance condition, you should call your local Social Security office and inform them of the change.
It is likely that you will have to provide documentation of your new condition and go into the office in order to change your application.
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