Many people rely on social security benefits, especially those who have retired. However, there are also a number of people who rely on social security because of a disability they have suffered that has taken away their ability to work. If you are in need of social security benefits at any point in time, you will need to better understand how it works. Here are four things that everyone should know about social security disability:
You Have to Meet Qualifications: Not just anyone with a disability can qualify for receiving social security benefits. Anyone who applies for social security has to meet certain qualifications. For example, you have to have worked for a certain length of time and the amount of disability that you receive if you do qualify depends on how much you were making annually. You also have to have a certain amount of credits that are applied to your social security every year based on your annual income. This all depends on your age. For example, those who are 62 or older must have at least 40 credits.
You Must Meet the Definition of Disability: Social security does not cover disabilities that are only short-term. Social security defines a disability as one that lasts at least a year or one that could potentially result in death. Also, the disability must hinder your ability to do the work that you once did.
For example, if you worked on a computer behind a desk, then your disability must hinder your ability to type or see the screen. You won't be able to qualify for disability if it resulted in a leg injury that won't hinder you from being able to use a computer. Yes, you may not be able to do physical labor, but if that wasn't in your job description when you received the injury, then you won't qualify for social security disability.
Your Spouse Can be Qualified for Your Disability: There are only certain situations in which your spouse can receive your disability benefits. This is usually only the case when your spouse is older than 62 or has a child under the age of 16. However, there are other situations, as well, such as the spouse receiving disability because the disabled person has passed. Divorced spouses can even receive social security benefits, as well.
Your Disability Benefits Won't Affect Your Retirement: Many people fear that if they apply for social security disability, their retirement benefits will be lessened because of their lack of employment history. However, social security takes this into account to ensure that your retirement is not affected. For those who receive disability benefits, social security ignores work history.
By knowing these four things about social security disability, you can better understand why it may be in your best interest to apply if you meet the qualifications. (Contact an attorney with questions regarding ssdi)
Share24 March 2015
Were you injured at work and fighting to get the workers compensation that you have paid into each year? Sometimes, getting those payments can be very difficult. What do you do when an employer fights the claim? Do you need a lawyer to help you through the process? How will you pay for a lawyer if you cannot even pay your electric bill? You are probably as lost as I was when I went through the process. Fortunately, you can learn from my experience with the system and find the answers to many of the questions that you have about filing a workers comp claim and fighting the system when it is denied.
