When to apply for Social
Security disability benefits
Social
Security and disability benefits
When to apply.
You should apply as
soon as you become disabled. If you apply for Social Security, disability
benefits will not begin until the sixth full month of disability.
The Social Security disability waiting period begins with the first
full month after the date we decide your disability began. Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) disability benefits are paid for the first
full month after the date you filed your claim, or, if later, the
date you become eligible for SSI.
How to apply.
Call the Social Security
Administration at (800) 772-1213 or (800) 325-0778 for those who
have hearing impairments or are deaf.
What you need.
The claims process
for disability benefits is generally longer than for other types
of Social Security benefits, from 60-90 days. It takes longer to
obtain medical information and assess the nature of the disability
in terms of your ability to work. However, you can help shorten
the process by bringing certain documents with you when you apply
and helping get any other medical evidence you need to show you
are disabled. These include: your Social Security number; your birth
certificate or other evidence of your date of birth; your military
discharge papers, if you were in the military service; your spouse's
birth certificate and Social Security number if he or she is applying
for befits; your children's birth certificates and Social Security
numbers if they are applying for benefits; and your checking or
savings account information, so your benefits can be deposited directly;
names, addresses and phone numbers of doctors, hospitals, clinics,
and institutions that treated you and dates of treatment; names
of all medications you are taking; medical records from your doctors,
therapists, hospitals, clinics and caseworkers; laboratory and test
results; a summary of where you worked in the past 15 years and
the kind of work you did; a copy of your W-2 Form (Wage and Tax
Statement), or if you are self-employed, your federal tax return
for the past year; dates of prior marriages if your spouse is applying
The documents presented as evidence must be either originals or
copies certified by the issuing agency. Do not delay filing for
benefits just because you do not have all of the information you
need. The Social Security office will be glad to help you.
Applying for SSI.
If you are applying
for Supplemental Security Income benefits you also need the following:
information about the home where you live, such as your mortgage
or lease and landlord's name; payroll slips, bank books, insurance
policies, car registration, burial fund records and other information
about your income and the things you own.
How disability is determined.
Social
Security uses a step-by-step process involving five questions: Are
you working? If you are and your earnings average more than $700
a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled. Is your condition
severe? Your impairments must interfere with basic work-related
activities for your claim to be considered. Is your condition found
in the list of disabling impairments? Social Security maintains
a list of impairments for each of the major body systems that are
so severe they automatically mean you are disabled. If your condition
is not on the list, it has to decide if it is of equal severity
to an impairment on the list. If it is, your claim is approved.
If it is not, go to the next step. Can you do the work you did previously?
If your condition is severe, but not at the same or equal severity
as an impairment on the list, then Social Security must determine
if it interferes with your ability to do the work you did in the
last 15 years. If it does not, your claim will be denied. If it
does, your claim will be considered further. Can you do any other
type of work? If you cannot do the work you did in the last 15 years,
we then look to see if you can do any other type of work. Social
Security considers your age, education, past work experience and
transferable skills, and reviews the job demands of occupations
as determined by the Department of Labor. If you cannot do any other
kind of work, your claim will be approved. If you can, your claim
will be denied.
Source: Social Security Administration
What kind of disability benefits does Social
Security pay?
People who are severely disabled may be eligible
for monthly benefits under one or more of the programs Social Security
administers. The Social Security and SSI programs provide a monthly
income for people with severe disabilities. However, the nonmedical
eligibility requirements for the two programs are different. The
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program pays benefits
to disabled workers and their families. To be eligible for SSDI,
you must be disabled and must have earned a minimum number of credits
from work covered under Social Security. The required number of
credits varies depending on your age at the time you became disabled.
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly
income to people who are age 65 or older or are blind or have other
disabilities and have limited income and financial resources. Effective
January 2001, the SSI payment for an eligible individual is $530
per month and $796 per month for an eligible couple. If you are
married, and only one person is eligible, a portion of your spouse's
income may be counted. In addition, your financial resources (savings
and assets you own) cannot exceed $2,000 ($3,000 if married). You
can be eligible for SSI even if you have never worked in employment
covered under Social Security. No SSI benefits are paid to family
members, only to the person with disabilities. Generally, to be
eligible for SSI, an individual also must be a resident of the United
States and must be a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen lawfully admitted
for permanent residence. Also, some noncitizens granted a special
status by the Immigration and Naturalization Service may be eligible.
What is the difference between Social Security
disability and SSI?
This is confusing to a lot of people
because both programs are administered by the Social Security Administration.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a program that workers,
employers and the self-employed pay for with their Social Security
taxes. You qualify for these benefits based on your work history
and the amount of your benefit is based on your earnings. Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) is a program financed through general tax
revenues -- not through Social Security trust funds. SSI disability
benefits are paid to people who have a disability and who don't
own much or have a lot of income.
Are there any special services or Social
Security information available for people who are blind?
Yes, there are several services and products readily available.
Social Security's booklet, “If You Are Blind ... How We Can Help,”
is a good source that explains the Social Security and Supplemental
Security Income programs. The booklet also refers to other special
services available for people who are blind, as well as various
publications available in Braille.
How does a child qualify for disability benefits?
Children who have severe disabilities may be eligible for monthly
benefits under one or more of the programs Social Security administers.
The Social Security program pays benefits to disabled or retired
workers and their families and to the families of deceased workers.
Child's benefits generally may be paid to a dependent unmarried
child under age 18, to a child age 18 or older who became disabled
before age 22, and to a full-time elementary or secondary school
student under age 19. If the parent is alive, he or she must be
entitled to retirement or disability benefits. If deceased, the
parent must have worked long enough under Social Security for survivor's
benefits to be paid on the record. A child age 18 or older may be
entitled to Social Security benefits based on his or her disability
when a parent who has worked long enough under the program is entitled
or dies. The criteria used to evaluate the disability are the same
as those used to evaluate disability in adults. The child must be
unable to do any “substantial”work because of a medical condition
that has lasted or is expected either to last at least 12 months
or to result in death. (Usually a job that pays $700 or more per
month is considered “substantial.”) The child's disability must
have begun before age 22. The SSI program provides monthly income
to people who are age 65 or older, or are blind or disabled, and
have limited income and financial resources. Children can qualify
if they meet the definition of disability and if the household income
of the parents and the child are within the allowed limits.
How do workers' compensation payments affect
my disability benefits?
Ordinarily, disability payments from
other sources do not affect your Social Security disability benefits.
However, if the disability payment is worker's compensation or another
public disability payment, your and your family's Social Security
benefits may be reduced. Your Social Security disability benefit
will be reduced so that the combined amount of the Social Security
benefit you and your family receive plus your workers' compensation
payment and/or public disability payment does not exceed 80 percent
of your average current earnings. (Note that the unreduced benefit
amount is counted for income tax purposes.)
I understand that to get Social Security disability benefits, your disability must be expected to last at least a year. Does this mean that you must wait a year after being disabled before you can get benefits? You do not have to wait a year after the onset of the disability before you can get benefits. You should file as soon as you can after becoming disabled and benefits begin after a five-month waiting period. The waiting period begins with the month Social Security decides your disability began.
Is there a time limit on Social Security
disability benefits?
No. You will continue to receive a disability
benefit as long as your condition keeps you from working. Your case
will be reviewed periodically to see if there has been any improvement
in your condition and whether you are still eligible for benefits.
If you are still eligible when you reach 65, your disability benefit
will be automatically converted to retirement benefits.
How much can I earn and still receive disability
benefits?
Social Security evaluates the work activity of
people claiming or receiving disability benefits under Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI). Beginning Jan. 1, 2001, a Social Security
Disability beneficiary can earn $740 a month and remain eligible
for benefits. The Social Security Administration uses the term “substantial
gainful activity” (SGA) to determine if work is substantial enough
to make a person ineligible for benefits. The SGA amount for a person
who is blind is $1,240. There are other provisions and work exclusions
you should know about and we recommend you read The Redbook on Work
Incentives.
What is a disability trial work period?
The trial work period (TWP) allows disability beneficiaries to test
their ability to work for at least nine months. During the TWP,
Social Security beneficiaries may earn any amount and receive full
Social Security Disability benefits. Effective Jan. 1, 2001, earnings
of $530 per month count as a trial work month. After completion
of nine trial work months, the substantial gainful activivty (SGA)
level is used to determine whether earnings are substantial or not.
If earnings fall below the SGA level, full benefits generally continue.
If earnings are higher than the SGA level, cash benefits are normally
suspended while medical benefits continue. Beginning Jan. 1, 2001,
a Social Security Disability SGA level is $740 a month, or $1,240for
a person who is blind. This amount will be automatically adjusted
annually based on increases in the national average wage index.
Source: The Social Security Administration