Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security Benefits

There are a number of benefits available under the Social Security Law, Our law firm represents people trying to get Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Social Security Disability (SSD)

Social Security Disability is disability insurance under the Social Security plan that covers people who have worked and paid in to the Social Security System. In general, a person must have worked 20 quarters of the last 40 (a year is divided into 4 quarters) to be insured (or 5 of the last 10 years). The quarters needed for coverage are different for younger workers since some have not been in the job force for 40 quarters. The amount of Social Security Disability you can draw depends on the amount of money you have paid in under the program. Also, if you have paid in enough money, your dependent children can also draw benefits if you are eligible for SSD.

Insurability under Social Security Disability does run out. SSD is like car insurance in that while you are working and paying into the system, you can be insured, but when you quit working, your insurability only lasts for a limited time. The date your insurability runs out is known as your Date Last Insured.

Social Security is not limited by resources but is affected by some government retirement programs or VA benefits. You cannot draw Non-Service Related VA disability and SSD at the same time but you can draw Service Related VA disability and SSD at the same time. Medicare is tied to SSD. You have to DRAW SSD for 24 months before you are eligible for Medicare. That means you get Medicare 24 months after you become eligible for SSD.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income is for people who have never worked/children, and people whose insurability has run out under the SSD program. SSI is based on income. If you have over the limit for resources or over the limit for household income, you are not eligible for SSI. There is a cap on the amount of SSI a person can draw.

It is possible to draw SSI for the 5 month waiting period for SSD and then be cut off SSI when your SSD eligibility begins.

Medicaid is tied to SSI. Medicaid begins the date of your SSI starts once you are approved for benefits.

You can draw SSD and SSI at the same time. If you draw under the SSI cap in SSD benefits, you can draw SSI as well. If you are eligible for SSD and SSI, then you are also eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.