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Applying For Social Security Disability: Five Key Questions
Henry Jennings
If you are unable to work at your job because of an illness or injury, you may be qualified to receive benefits from the Social Security Administration. The SSA is a government agency that assists people, like you, who have severe medical or mental conditions that meet certain requirements. While the process of applying and approval can be lengthy, if you are truly unable to work, you are entitled to these benefits.
These benefits should not be considered welfare; this is insurance that you have worked and paid for with deductions from every paycheck you have ever earned. The SSA uses a series of questions to determine if your condition qualifies for benefits. It's helpful to know about these questions before you apply. Read on for the five questions that Social Security will ask you about your disability.
1. Are you currently working and if so, how much are you earning? If you earn more than $1,090.00 a month at your job, there is no point in even applying for benefits. The SSA sets that amount, called substantial gainful activity (SGA), as the cut-off for not just applying for benefits, but also the maximum amount you can earn once you approved.
2. How severe is your disability? Your condition must affect your ability to do your job. For example, having diabetes is not enough, the symptoms or related disorders must be bad enough that you cannot do your job, such as the neuropathy caused by diabetes making you unable to stand or walk. Simply feeling tired at work would not be considered severe enough.
3. Is your disability on their list? The SSA maintains a list of conditions here. If you cannot find your condition on the list, for example it may be a rare disorder, you can still apply, but it will more difficult to get approved.
4. Will your condition last longer than at least one year? SSA will only approve benefits for conditions that last for at least a year, or are expected to result in death. What this means for you is that your condition should not be something that will likely get significantly better in less than a year. For example, if you have injured your shoulder and need shoulder replacement surgery, you will likely be fully recovered within a year and not eligible for benefits.
5. Could you do other types of work? The SSA looks at your age, education and work history to determine if you could do other, perhaps more sedentary, types of work. If so, your claim will likely be denied.
With each of the questions above, you should have a clearer idea of what the SSA looks at in determining your eligibility for benefits. The application and approval process for disability benefits can be confusing and complicated, so make sure you have an advocate on your side by talking to a Social Security attorney such as Mckown Jim Attorney At Law as soon as possible.
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