There’s Plenty You Should Know About Social Security Disability Benefits!
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 17, 2021
Life is unpredictable. When something interrupts your plans, it’s good to know there’s a way to supplement your income, in case of an unexpected life event.
Social Security has a strict definition of disability based on your inability to work and provide for yourself and your family. Disability benefits are available only to people with impairments so severe that they prevent any kind of significant, profitable work. Social Security pays only for total disability. No benefits are payable for partial disability or for short-term disability.
We pay disability via two programs: the Social Security Disability Insurance program, for people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes long enough to be eligible, and the Supplemental Security Income program, which pays benefits based on financial need.
When you apply for either program, we will collect medical and other information from you. Our disability examiners will make a decision about whether or not you can do work that you did before, adjust to other work because of your medical condition, and if your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or is likely to result in death.
Certain factors may speed or delay the decision in your case, like the nature of your disability and how quickly we can get your medical records. We may also need to send you for an additional medical examination at no cost to you.
If you would like to apply for disability benefits, you can use our online application. It has several advantages, including immediately starting the process, no waiting to get an appointment, and no trip to a Social Security Office. It’s easy, convenient, and secure.
You can find out everything there is to know about disability benefits online.
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Tags: Disability, Social Security benefits, SSI, supplemental security income
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Tim L.
I wish there was a way you could update your account on line if you are able to work part time. Instead of having to make an appointment for a phone call or go into a office.
R.F.
Hi Tim, please read our publication “Working While Disabled – How We Can Help”, to learn more about the special rules that make it possible for people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments. Thanks!
isabelle
The only thing I know is 100% accurate is that people who have put in don’t get to have a say so. people who have not worked get benefits. Not all people are trying to scam the government. Some of us are truly in need of this. After all why do we call it security. ?
momna
hi my daughter down syndrome she is green holder not citzen
J.Y.
Thank you for your question. In order for your daughter to qualify for disability benefits, she must meet all the eligibility criteria (technical and medical). Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are “insured,” meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.
Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need. In addition, A non-citizen may receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if the person meets the requirements of the laws for non-citizens that went into effect on August 22,1996 and all the other requirements for SSI eligibility, such as the limits on income and resources. For more information read our fact sheet Supplemental Security Income (SSI) For Non-citizens. You also may want to read our material on non-citizen eligibility in our Spotlight On SSI Eligibility For Non-citizens webpage. We hope this helps.
frustrated
social security has made a big mess of things for me and i don’t know what to do.
i have been on disability ssi/ssa for around four years now, i am an the middle of a review appeal which is stressful enough but around a month ago i find out my insurance isn’t working so i go to social security and apparently my ssa only (not ssi) was accidentally terminated through their system. the lady that worked with me was surprisingly very kind and understanding and sent in a request to fix it right away. i thought, thank goodness that mess is sorted out. well due to the error, i recently received a letter from ssa saying my ssa payment would be deducted 134 dollars per month and took 300 dollars this month for “medicare back due payments” which because i am on disability should not have to be paid and this was all because of the accidental termination. i was told by social security to go to access florida because they’re the ones that pay the medicare, i went and the worker helped me file papers, then i went to the ss office to ask about my payments because the letter made it sound like i would still get paid my normal amount this month but the lady was absolutely unhelpful and quite rude. she just kept interrupting me saying there’s nothing we can do and that i was wrong about the payment set up on the letter. i went back to access florida after (embarrassingly crying and having an anxiety attack) asking if he has any idea when i would get my payments back and if they will pay me what they now owe me and he doesnt have an answer for me. either way i am in need of that money for bills and i am going through this because of their screw ups and nobody can give me a solid answer. i feel hopeless.
R.F.
We apologize for this inconvenience. Please continue working with your local office and know you can request to speak with the local office manager to see how we can help to expedite resolution of your situation. If you are unable to visit your local servicing office, you may call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks.
evonne
We have a problem with our government when it comes to getting your disability. Why does it take so long to get MY money not the government money? I am slowing losing everything I have worked for since I was 14. I am now 52 and cannot work. Please tell me what it the longest you have to wait (surely the government has a deadline like they do for paying your taxes) to get your disability? I cannot pay my monthly bills so I could possibly lose my house. Please help!!!
R.F.
Thank you for your comment Evonne. The length of time it takes to receive a decision on your disability claim can vary depending on several factors, such as the nature of your disability and how quickly we obtain medical evidence from your doctor or other medical sources. See “How The Disability Process Works” for more information. If you were initially denied and appealed the decision, a final determination will take longer. Please continue working with your local office if you have specific questions about your claim. You can also call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Thanks.
Ann
Disabled, took me 2 years, 7 months. C.O.P.D severe.
Sure was rough with NO income. Thank God I got it!
Thomas e.
I broke my back in June 2016 and applied for disability like in July 2016. I was denied in Dec 2016 so I appealed. The average wait time for my area is 15 months. Is there anything else I can do to expedite this case.
R.F.
Hi Thomas. The length of time it takes to get a hearing can vary from state to state. We attempt to resolve all claims promptly, but there may be delays due to the volume of pending appeals in your area. The good news is that we are trying to conduct many of our hearings through video teleconferencing (VTC) to speed up the process. Visit our “Hearing And Appeals” web page for more information, and continue working with your local hearing office on specific questions about your case. Thanks !
Aaron
If you are getting disability benefits ssdi and have a child whose mother is getting child benefits because of the father’s disability, what happens to the income Child benefits when the father makes sga working through the trial work period and is not going to receive ssdi anymore?
R.F.
Thank you for your question Aaron. Generally, entitlement for the child ends the first month the Number Holder (NH) is no longer entitled to a disability insurance benefit.
deb
Does anyone have spell check? Does anyone use it? Comments in all caps are hard to read, and still, to me, feel like shouting.
Maria K.
Social Security Administration office only hires people who don’t speak English to do their claim benefits. These people are new immigrants, severe accent, violate human rights, and SSA does this on purpose because they know they can get away with it. If you search the U.K. Europe you’ll soon learn this denial and stealing of peoples benefits has been going on for over a decade and they continuously spend money on technology that separates SSA workers from SSA applicants. Bottom line is SSA should be shut down. Permanently. A new agency should be put in place because this is failing the American people and SSA is timing people out of their benefits. When you work all those years did they request permission to take money out of your paycheck? The answer is No. Why is it when you get into a car accident, illness happens that meds cannot control and your health worsens and now on top of health problems you now have financial worries, the stress is enough to drive people to suicide or the illness will kill them in addition you have now become a burden to your family. So why is SSA denying people their benefits that is rightfully there’s? Why do they even have to prove their disability? If anyone looks at the back of their social security card you will read SSA is a division of Health and Human Services however the SSA office hires people who obey “rules” set up by SSA that’s ignores people’s health and don’t act human. I’ve said my peace. If every American who was denied their right to benefits had a voice instead of crying this SSA would’ve been closed down years ago.