Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a program financed with Social Security taxes paid by workers, employers and self-employed persons. Disability benefits are payable to disabled workers, disabled widow(er)'s or adults disabled since childhood, who are otherwise eligible. Auxiliary benefits may be payable to a worker's dependents, as well. The monthly disability benefit payment is based on the Social Security earnings record of the insured worker on whose Social Security number the disability claim is filed.

The definition of disability under the Social Security Administration is very strict. To be eligible for benefits, a person must be unable to do any kind of substantial gainful work because of a physical or mental impairment (or a combination of impairments), which is expected to either last at least 12 months, or end in death.

If, because of a medical condition, a person cannot do the work that they performed in the past, then age, education, and past work experience must be considered in determining whether the person can do other work. If the evidence shows that the person can do other work, even if it involves different skills or pays less than their previous work, they cannot be considered disabled for Social Security purposes.

You should be familiar with the process the Social Security Administration uses to determine if you are disabled. It's a step-by-step process involving five questions. They are:

-Are you working? If you are and your earnings average more than $800 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? The Social Security Administration 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, we have 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, the Social Security Administration goes 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 the Social Security Administration  must determine if it prevents you from doing 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, the Social Security Administration will 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 Social Security 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.

Any one can get benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance program if they are a disabled or blind worker insured under the Social Security Act, if they are the child of an insured worker who is under the age of eighteen or if the child is over eighteen their disability must have started before the age of twenty two. An insured workers widow/widower is entitled to benefits and a surviving divorced spouse of an insured worker is also entitled to benefit

Also, to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, you must have worked long enough and recently enough under Social Security. You can earn up to a maximum of four work credits per year. The amount of earnings required for a credit increases each year as general wage levels rise.

Family members who qualify for benefits on your work record do not need work credits.
The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on your age when you become disabled. Generally you need 20 credits earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you become disabled.

When applying for disability benefits for a long term illness the requirements for disability benefits are the same, but the Social Security Administration makes every effort to identify cases involving a terminal illness as early in the claims process as possible so that the administration can expedite the processing of the claim. Social Security may become aware of the potentially terminal illness through statements from the claimant, a friend, family member, doctor or other medical source.

Social Security also treats certain situations, such as an allegation or diagnosis of AIDS or registration of the claimant in a Medicare-designated hospice, receipt of hospice care as indicators of a potentially terminal illness. When a person has a potentially terminal illness, Social Security tightly controls the case throughout the claims process. Social Security also makes special efforts to assist claimant's with a terminal illness in providing necessary evidence.

Children and Social Security Disability Insurance?

Under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, an adult child age 18 and older may receive monthly benefits based on disability (or blindness) if:

-he or she has an impairment or combination of impairments that meets the definition of disability for adults;

-the disability began before age 22; and

-the adult child's parent worked long enough to be insured under Social Security and is receiving retirement or disability benefits or is deceased.

Under both of these programs, the child must be unable to do any "substantial" work because of a medical condition that has lasted or is expected either to last for at least 12 months or to result in death. For persons who are not blind, a job that pays $780 or more per month ($800 in 2003) is usually considered "substantial". (The monthly level is somewhat higher for persons who are blind). Social Security benefits for children under the age of 18 are claimed under SSI. You can find more information on SSI Disability benefits for children in the SSI section of this website. 

How to get emergency benefits immediately!

Most States have a program to help people with extreme disabilities. These programs can be found usually by contacting your local welfare department or by contacting your local city hall and asking for further instructions.