Can I Get Social Security Disability Benefits?
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Most applications are reportedly denied for either medical reasons such as a lack of documentary evidence for the disability in question, or a technical error often pertaining to the applicant's work history. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at who can actually get disability benefits from the SSA, and how you can increase your chances of receiving an award.
[b]Do I qualify for disability benefits from the SSA? [/b]
Unlike some other disability programs, the SSA is fairly strict in its requirements for disability benefits. For example, the SSA requires that an individual is unable to work as a result of a medical condition that can be either physical or mental in nature and that's expected to last at least one year or result in death. So, if you're just laid up for a few months, you don't qualify -- regardless of the severity of your specific disability. Complicating matters further, your treating physician has to be willing to verify your disability and provide medical evidence of its existence. On a final note, the SSA retains the right to make a judgement call if the medical condition only pertains to your specific vocation, but doesn't necessarily prohibit you from taking alternative forms of employment that you should reasonably qualify for based on your background and work history.
Besides having a disability that is expected to last at least a year, you will also need to pass the so-called "earnings tests." The first of these is known as the "recent work test," where you must have worked for a minimum length of time for your age prior to becoming disabled. For example, the SSA requires that a 24-year-old individual must have worked 1.5 years during the three-year period ending with the quarter in which the disability began.
The second earnings test is the "duration of work test" that ensures that you have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits. Put simply, you need to have earned enough Social Security credits within a specific time frame to qualify.
The following table from the SSA's website gives a brief overview of the duration of work test:
IMAGE SOURCE: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S DISABILITY BENEFITS PUBLICATION NO. 05-10029.
![[url=http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/04/16/can-i-get-social-security-disability-benefits.aspx] http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/04/16/can-i-get-social-security-disability-benefits.aspx[/url]
[b]Although nearly 9 million Americans currently receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, a large number of applicants are left out in the cold every year. Here's what you need to know before applying for disability from the SSA. [/b]
MAGE SOURCE: PIXABAY.]([url=http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/04/16/can-i-get-social-security-disability-benefits.aspx
[b
/images/upload/2016-04-18-897-0-59-04-18-6.jpg)
Can I Get Social Security Disability Benefits?[url=http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/04/16/can-i-get-social-security-disability-benefits.aspx] http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/04/16/can-i-get-social-security-disability-benefits.aspx[/url] [b]Although nearly 9 million Americans currently receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, a large number of applicants are left out in the cold every year. Here's what you need to know before applying for disability from the SSA. [/b] MAGE SOURCE: PIXABAY.![[/p]
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), nearly 9 million Americans received disability benefits for at least part of 2015. Despite this fairly staggering number of beneficiaries, though, the SSA's disability insurance (SSDI) program has actually been declining around 65% of all applications over the last decade:
IMAGE SOURCE: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION]([/p
SSDI
/images/upload/2016-04-18-598-0-59-04-18-7.jpg)
Can I Get Social Security Disability Benefits?[/p] According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), nearly 9 million Americans received disability benefits for at least part of 2015. Despite this fairly staggering number of beneficiaries, though, the SSA's disability insurance (SSDI) program has actually been declining around 65% of all applications over the last decade: IMAGE SOURCE: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION![[/p]
Most applications are reportedly denied for either medical reasons such as a lack of documentary evidence for the disability in question, or a technical error often pertaining to the applicant's work history. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at who can actually get disability benefits from the SSA, and how you can increase your chances of receiving an award.
[b]Do I qualify for disability benefits from the SSA? [/b]
Unlike some other disability programs, the SSA is fairly strict in its requirements for disability benefits. For example, the SSA requires that an individual is unable to work as a result of a medical condition that can be either physical or mental in nature and that's expected to last at least one year or result in death. So, if you're just laid up for a few months, you don't qualify -- regardless of the severity of your specific disability. Complicating matters further, your treating physician has to be willing to verify your disability and provide medical evidence of its existence. On a final note, the SSA retains the right to make a judgement call if the medical condition only pertains to your specific vocation, but doesn't necessarily prohibit you from taking alternative forms of employment that you should reasonably qualify for based on your background and work history.
Besides having a disability that is expected to last at least a year, you will also need to pass the so-called "earnings tests." The first of these is known as the "recent work test," where you must have worked for a minimum length of time for your age prior to becoming disabled. For example, the SSA requires that a 24-year-old individual must have worked 1.5 years during the three-year period ending with the quarter in which the disability began.
The second earnings test is the "duration of work test" that ensures that you have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits. Put simply, you need to have earned enough Social Security credits within a specific time frame to qualify.
The following table from the SSA's website gives a brief overview of the duration of work test:
IMAGE SOURCE: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S DISABILITY BENEFITS PUBLICATION NO. 05-10029.]([/p
Most applications are reportedly denied for either medical reasons such as a lack of documentary evidence for the disability in question, or a technical error often pertaining to the applicant's work history. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at who can actually get disability benefits from the SSA, and how you can increase your chances of receiving an award.
[b
Unlike some other disability programs, the SSA is fairly strict in its requirements for disability benefits. For example, the SSA requires that an individual is unable to work as a result of a medical condition that can be either physical or mental in nature and that's expected to last at least one year or result in death. So, if you're just laid up for a few months, you don't qualify -- regardless of the severity of your specific disability. Complicating matters further, your treating physician has to be willing to verify your disability and provide medical evidence of its existence. On a final note, the SSA retains the right to make a judgement call if the medical condition only pertains to your specific vocation, but doesn't necessarily prohibit you from taking alternative forms of employment that you should reasonably qualify for based on your background and work history.
Besides having a disability that is expected to last at least a year, you will also need to pass the so-called "earnings tests." The first of these is known as the "recent work test," where you must have worked for a minimum length of time for your age prior to becoming disabled. For example, the SSA requires that a 24-year-old individual must have worked 1.5 years during the three-year period ending with the quarter in which the disability began.
The second earnings test is the "duration of work test" that ensures that you have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits. Put simply, you need to have earned enough Social Security credits within a specific time frame to qualify.
The following table from the SSA's website gives a brief overview of the duration of work test:
/images/upload/2016-04-18-893-0-59-04-18-8.jpg)
Can I Get Social Security Disability Benefits?[/p] Most applications are reportedly denied for either medical reasons such as a lack of documentary evidence for the disability in question, or a technical error often pertaining to the applicant's work history. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at who can actually get disability benefits from the SSA, and how you can increase your chances of receiving an award. [b]Do I qualify for disability benefits from the SSA? [/b] Unlike some other disability programs, the SSA is fairly strict in its requirements for disability benefits. For example, the SSA requires that an individual is unable to work as a result of a medical condition that can be either physical or mental in nature and that's expected to last at least one year or result in death. So, if you're just laid up for a few months, you don't qualify -- regardless of the severity of your specific disability. Complicating matters further, your treating physician has to be willing to verify your disability and provide medical evidence of its existence. On a final note, the SSA retains the right to make a judgement call if the medical condition only pertains to your specific vocation, but doesn't necessarily prohibit you from taking alternative forms of employment that you should reasonably qualify for based on your background and work history. Besides having a disability that is expected to last at least a year, you will also need to pass the so-called "earnings tests." The first of these is known as the "recent work test," where you must have worked for a minimum length of time for your age prior to becoming disabled. For example, the SSA requires that a 24-year-old individual must have worked 1.5 years during the three-year period ending with the quarter in which the disability began. The second earnings test is the "duration of work test" that ensures that you have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits. Put simply, you need to have earned enough Social Security credits within a specific time frame to qualify. The following table from the SSA's website gives a brief overview of the duration of work test: IMAGE SOURCE: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S DISABILITY BENEFITS PUBLICATION NO. 05-10029.![[/p]
The good news is that some family members of disabled workers can also receive money from the SSA, if they meet certain guidelines. A person's spouse or unmarried child, for instance, can qualify for benefits based on your work history, depending on their personal circumstances (age, marital status, etc.).
IMAGE SOURCE: PIXABAY.]([/p
age, marital status, etc.
/images/upload/2016-04-18-683-0-59-04-18-9.jpg)
Can I Get Social Security Disability Benefits?[/p] The good news is that some family members of disabled workers can also receive money from the SSA, if they meet certain guidelines. A person's spouse or unmarried child, for instance, can qualify for benefits based on your work history, depending on their personal circumstances (age, marital status, etc.). IMAGE SOURCE: PIXABAY.