Social Security Matters- When to Speak to an Attorney About Your Benefits
Brian O Sutter
Social Security Disability
Social security disability is a payroll tax-funded, federal insurance program with benefits that are paid to you and certain members of your family if you are insured. When the benefits payout, it means you had worked long enough, and you paid social security taxes during that time.What Qualifies for Social Security Disability Income?
Certain conditions qualify for social security disability. However, both medical disability and non-medical criteria are used when determining benefits. But you will have to first prove that you are in fact medically disabled before you can begin receiving benefits.
Musculoskeletal problems including back conditions and other joint and bone conditions, senses and speech issues including hearing and vision loss, and respiratory illnesses may qualify you for social security disability.
Are There Maximum Income Levels for Social Security?
There are no limits regarding unearned income which means that an individual who is collecting SSDI (social security disability income) can also receive monetary support from other sources as well including money from investments, interest, or the income of their spouse.
The Chances of Acceptance
It has been found that approximately two-thirds of people who apply for social security disability benefits are actually rejected. However, you may have more of a chance of getting these benefits if you first familiarize yourself with the process and the qualifications, so you are armed with the best information to prove your case.
You will want to know the duration of the time you have worked, for example, so you know if you can qualify for these benefits. For example, if you became disabled at the age of fifty, then you would have needed to have approximately seven years of work. If you become disabled after the age of sixty, then you are typically required to have nine and a half years of work.
In addition, the disability needs to show that it interferes with any and all work-related activities and the impairment will need to last for an extended amount of time.
What if the Application is Rejected?
You have recently applied for SSDI and turned in all the proper paperwork, and you thought you followed all the appropriate steps, but you are still rejected. What can you do?
Well, first of all, don’t lose hope and don’t resign from trying again. With the denial, there is an appeal process you can follow through with, and the sooner you appeal following your denial, the sooner Social Security can schedule a hearing for you to hear your case. Acting in a timely fashion can help speed up the process and possibly increase your chances the second time around.
Hiring a Social Security Disability Lawyer
If you feel that you want the extra help and expertise when it comes to your Social Security application and appeals process, then it is never a bad idea to seek the counsel of an experienced Social Security disability lawyer.
The lawyer can help advocate for you while also educating you about the appeals process and making sure that all the correct paperwork is filed, and all the steps are completed in the right amount of time.
An experienced lawyer may also be able to provide you with a bit more insight as it pertains to the application process and the specific requirements that may boost approval for you moving forward.
If you have received your rejection from Social Security, do not give up. Call your attorney today and begin the appeals process immediately to get the hearing so you can make your case as to why your application should be approved for Social Security disability income.