How You Qualify For Social Security Disability Benefits
By Chris Sharry on April 9th, 2014 in
How you qualify for social security disability benefits? For those who have recently become disabled, finding out how you qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits can become a pressing matter. SSDI benefits are designed to help those that qualify to pay for their everyday expenses and household bills. In many cases, Social Security Disability Benefits can make all the difference on making ends meet for those who are disabled for a year or more.
“Disability” Defined
The Social Security Disability Administration defines “disability” as an injury or condition that:
- Prevents you from performing work required by your current profession
- You cannot successfully adjust to other types of work because of your condition
- Your disability will last at least one year or will result in death
Work History
The first qualification depends on whether or not you have ever had a job in which you paid into SSDI. Each pay period, your check stub will state your deductions and how much of your pay was deducted for SSDI. The percentage deducted is referred to as SSDI credits. For each $1200 you earn each year, you are given one credit toward SSDI. The law states that in order to qualify for SSDI, you must have 40 credits, 20 of which must have been earned in the last 10 years. The number of credits is subject to change depending on the age of the applicant. If you do not meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
The Determination Process
The determination process can include filling out an application for SSDI for disability benefits. Once it is established that a person has a medically determinable impairment, SSA will evaluate the case under the sequential evaluation process to determine whether the person is disabled. SSA will consider whether the claimant is performing substantial gainful activity, the severity of the impairment, whether the impairment medically equals the requirements of a listed impairment, and whether the impairment prevents the person from doing his or her past relevant work or other work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy.
Special Situations
There are some special situations which may qualify an applicant who does not fit the above criteria.
These special situations can include:
- If the applicant is blind or low vision
- If the individual has been disabled since childhood
- If the applicant is a worker’s widow or worker’s widower
- If the applicant is a wounded warrior
If you have recently become disabled or are considered a “special situation” case in Massachusetts, please contact our SSD attorneys to discuss your case. We can help you apply for SSDI benefits or can aid you in appealing a SSDI denial.
Related Links
Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability Applications
Social Security Disability Requirements
Social Security Disability Appeals
