Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a nationwide federal program that helps people who have become disabled. SSDI is a form of insurance that you earn during your working years through paying Social Security taxes. The amount you receive in SSDI payments varies depending on many factors. You have to demonstrate that you are eligible for the program.
If you have questions about Southfield SSDI benefits terms, we could assist you. Our skilled SSDI attorneys at Thurswell Law have been helping our clients with their legal concerns since 1968, and we have the experience to make the process of obtaining SSDI benefits easier for you.
How Are SSDI and SSI Different?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another federal program for disabled people. SSDI and SSI both use the same medical disability standards to determine if you are eligible for their benefits. However, the programs were established for different purposes and do not have all the same rules.
SSDI is an insurance program, not just a benefits program. An important requirement that Southfield residents must meet to receive SSDI benefits is that they must have paid Social Security taxes while they were working. The amount of benefits you are eligible for varies depending on your past earnings. You can receive SSDI regardless of your income or other assets.
SSI is a needs-based program that provides benefits for some disabled, elderly, or blind people. SSI is designed to provide a basic amount of income for people who cannot work and have a limited income and low resources.
Sometimes, people may be eligible for both SSDI and SSI, typically when the SSDI payment would be very low. The government would issue SSI benefits in addition to the SSDI amount to raise the recipient’s total benefits to the baseline SSI payment.
Determining Eligibility for SSDI Benefits
Although SSDI is a federal program, the Michigan Disability Determination Service makes the initial decisions about whether Southfield residents meet the program’s conditions for receiving benefits. To qualify for SSDI, you must have worked long enough and recently enough in jobs where you paid Social Security taxes. The requirements depend on how old you were when you became disabled. You also must have worked five out of the 10 years before you became disabled, though exceptions exist for younger workers.
An agency employee will ask you several questions to determine your eligibility for SSDI. First, they will need to know if you are currently working. If you are working and your monthly earnings exceed a certain sum, you might not be eligible. If you are not working in your chosen field, the agency will consider whether you could do work you have done in the past or could do another type of job, taking into consideration your age, education level, work experience, and medical condition.
Next, the agency employee will need information about how severe your disability is. Typically, your medical condition must have significantly impacted your ability to do basic work tasks for a period of at least one year. The Social Security Administration has a list of conditions that will automatically qualify you for benefits as long as you meet the other criteria for eligibility.
Call Our Southfield Attorneys To Discuss the Stipulations for Receiving SSDI Benefits
When you become disabled, your life changes in many ways. Trying to get used to these changes can be challenging. You should not also have to struggle to get the SSDI benefits you earned by previously paying Social Security taxes.
If you have questions about Southfield SSDI benefits terms or need help collecting your benefits, call us today to schedule a free consultation. Our attorneys at Thurswell Law could help you understand your rights and discuss the strength of your case with you.
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