Asset Rules For Ssi Disability
The rules for SSI are completely different. SSI is a need-based program for those living in poverty.
To be eligible for SSI, an individual has to have low income and low assets . For couples, the asset limit is $3,000.
Certain assets don’t count toward the limit, including one car and one house. For more information on what assets count for SSI purposes, see our article on the SSI property limit.
Retirement Age And Ssd Rules After Age 50
Back at the start of the Social Security retirement system, workers could dream of leaving their jobs behind when they reached age 65 and collecting retirement benefits. The truth is that 65 as the full retirement age for Social Security lasted for only a very short time. Annual increases in the retirement age began in 1938 it now stands at age 67 for any born in 1960 or later.
At 50 years old, you have a long way to go before reaching full retirement age, but you may have another option. If you have a medically determinable physical or mental health impairment that prevents you from working and is expected to last for at least a year, SSDI may be an option.
If your application for SSDI benefits is approved, the monthly payment that you receive is the same that you will get at full retirement age. The monthly benefit for both SSDI and retirement is based on your lifetime earnings with a maximum benefit of $3,345 per month.
SSD rules after age 50 may actually be an advantage for you as an older worker applying for SSDI benefits. The SSA uses an evaluation process to determine if an applicant for disability benefits is disabled within its definition of disabled. SSD rules after age 50 favor older applicants in the later steps of the process.
Can I Get Car Insurance Discounts As An Ssi Recipient
You wont get car insurance discounts specifically for receiving a monthly SSI supplement. But companies offer discount options for various reasons. Some of the most common auto insurance discounts available to policyholders in the U.S. include:
Discounts on coverage typically help policyholders save anywhere from 5% to 25%. You can speak with a representative from your insurance company to see if you qualify for a discount on your coverage.
Also Check: How Much Is Disability In Illinois
When Will I Receive My First Ssdi Payment
If the Social Security Disability application is approved, the first benefit will be paid to you for the sixth full month after the date that the disability began.
Monthly disability benefits are wholly based on your lifetime average earnings covered by Social Security. You can receive an estimate here.
What About Childhood Disability Benefits
Some children can receive disability benefits. If you received these benefits as a kid, the SSA would review your case two months before you turn 18.
The review will see if your medical condition qualifies for adult disability benefits. If you are eligible, you can receive SSDI as an adult for as long as youre disabled.
Don’t Miss: Connect To Itunes Phone Disabled
Talk To A Social Security Disability Lawyer For Free Today
Many people struggle to get the disability benefits they deserve. Thankfully, help is available. At John Foy & Associates, we have been assisting SSDI applicants for over 20 years.
Our lawyers know what the SSA is looking for to approve an application. We also know how to help you with any benefits-related problems. Contact us today, and well discuss the details during a FREE consultation.
To get your FREE consultation, call or contact us online today.
Call or text or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
How Social Security Decides If You Have A Qualifying Disability
After you apply for benefits, the Social Security will request your medical records from the doctors and clinics that you included on your application. The SSA will then check if your condition is severe enough to meet one of its impairment listings. If you meet the qualifications in a listing, you have a qualifying disability, and the Social Security determination process ends.
For instance, one way to meet the requirements of the impairment listing for lung cancer is to have a pathology report of a lung biopsy showing small cell lung cancer. If you have a qualifying pathology report in your medical records, Social Security doesn’t need to see any evidence of how the cancer or the side effects of your cancer treatment limit your ability to work.
On the other hand, if you don’t meet the requirements of an impairment listing, your medical records need to have evidence that your medical condition causes specific functional limitations that keep you from being able to perform job duties. Some examples of limitations that could qualify you for disability include not being able to lift 20 pounds regularly, or not being able to stand or walk for more than two hours in a day.
Learn more about the rules for qualifying medically for disability.
Recommended Reading: 50 Percent Va Disability Benefits
What Are The Medical Requirements For Disability
One of the most important rules for Social Security disability is that your medical disability must have lasted, or be expected to last, for at least one year for benefits to be awarded. Social Security doesn’t offer any temporary disability benefits.
In addition, you must be fully disablednot partially disabledto qualify for Social Security disability. Unlike workers’ comp or veterans disability benefits, the SSA doesn’t assign you a percentage of disability with SSDI or SSI, and it doesn’t pay out partial benefits.
How To Receive Federal Benefits
To begin receiving your federal benefits, like Social Security or veterans benefits, you must sign up for electronic payments with direct deposit.
If You Have a Bank or Credit Union Account:
- Call the Go Direct Helpline at .
If You Don’t have a Bank or Credit Union Account:
- Direct Express debit card – a pre-paid debit card. Get help by calling the Go Direct Helpline at .
Make Changes to an Existing Direct Deposit Account:
On Go Direct’s FAQ page, learn how to make changes to an existing direct deposit account. You also may contact the federal agency that pays your benefit for help with your enrollment.
Read Also: California Disability Insurance Phone Number
My Condition Is Not Listed In The Blue Book Can I Still Receive Ssdi Benefits
While the Blue Book is a fairly comprehensive guide, by no means does it contain every ailment or disability that could keep a person from working. If you have a condition not listed in the Blue Book , you can still apply for SSDI. The main thing to remember is that you will need to provide substantial proof that your condition has rendered you unable to work.
What Age Are You When Social Security Disability Stops
Social Security Disability can stay active for as long as youre disabled. If you receive benefits until age 65, your SSDI benefits will stop, and your retirement benefits will begin. In other words, your SSDI benefits change to Social Security retirement benefits.
Sometimes, SSDI benefits will stop before age 65. If you begin earning more income or dont continue documenting your condition, you might stop receiving benefits.
to find a John Foy office near you
Read Also: Va Disability Sleep Apnea Eligibility Criteria
Family Eligibility And Children With Disabilities
Certain family members may be eligible to receive disability benefits on your record including a spouse, a divorced spouse, children, a disabled child and/or an adult child who was disabled before the age of 22. Each beneficiarys rate depends on the number of family members receiving benefits on your record as well as the amount you receive.
The maximum amount each family member is eligible to receive is 50 percent of the disability rate. The total payment to an entire family, however, is capped and is not based on other personal financial situation factors.
Can I Buy A Car With My Childs Ssi
Yes, you can buy a car with your childs SSI, if buying a car will help your disabled child live easier.
If you do not have a car at all, and you realize that buying a car will put your disabled child in a better position and help convey him from place to place, easier than it would have been if you had no car, then you can go ahead to buy him a car.
However, it is important to note that you can only buy or own one car under SSI.
Read Also: Reed Group Short Term Disability
You Can Own A Car While On Ssdi
The social security disability insurance program allows beneficiaries to own a car even while receiving disability benefits from them.
Unlike buying a car may affect Medicaid, owning a car will not in any way, affect your benefits from the program.
One car will not be counted as a major resource that you have. So if you were worried about owning a car and receiving disability benefits, you need not worry anymore as owning one car cant constitute part of the factors to determine your eligibility.
What Is Social Security Disability Insurance
Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to people who cannot work because of certain disabilities or medical conditions. SSDI is funded by FICA Social Security payroll taxes. Workers earn SSDI by accumulating enough work credits throughout their working life. In order to qualify for SSDI, a person must be under 65 years old and have a qualifying severe disability as designated by the Social Security Administration .
Also, federal law has a very strict definition of disability that requires the medical condition be one thats expected to last one full year or more, or result in death. Social Security does not grant benefits to people with partial or short-term disabilities.
There is some confusion about the difference between SSDI and SSI , so lets clear up that confusion next.
You May Like: How Much Is Long Term Disability Insurance
Social Security Disability Rules After Age 50 And 60
If you are among those who think of Social Security as only for the elderly, consider the fact that one in four of 20-year-old workers suffer a disabling illness or injury before they reach retirement age. Until you or a member of your family becomes disabled, you may not realize the number of people who benefit from Social Security disability.
According to the most recently available statistics from the Social Security Administration, 9.1 million people receive disability benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance program, and 7.8 million of their spouses receive family benefits. Meanwhile, more than 5.2 million people collect survivor benefits as a result of the death of a loved one who was eligible for Social Security benefits.
Its obvious that Social Security is not only for the elderly, so continue reading as we explain the Social Security disability rules that apply after ages 50 and 60 to workers and members of their families. If you have questions about specific SSD rules and the effect, they may have on you and your family, contact a disability lawyer at the Clauson Law Firm, PLLC, for a free consultation.
Social Security Disability Work Incentives
Special rules make it possible for those receiving SSDI benefits to go back to work while continuing to be paid the monthly benefits. This is for those workers whose disability is not life threatening and have some capacity to work.
Three incentives are offered by SSDI for people attempting to go back to work: trial work period, extended period of eligibility, and expedited reinstatement.
Read Also: Best Disability Lawyers In Michigan
Determining Your Residual Functional Capacity
If you are able to return to work in a limited capacity after a car accident, the SSA will need to determine exactly how much you can do given your current limitations. This is called your residual functional capacity .
A medical consultant performs an RFC assessment to evaluate the type of exertion you can withstand and what job restrictions may be necessary. If the SSA determines that you cannot do your past relevant work, the assessment can be used to determine if there is any job that you can do. If so, your disability will be considered partial and you will not qualify for SSD.
Because the results of an RFC assessment can make or break your ability to access SSD benefits, reach out to skilled lawyers Land Parker Welch LLC for a free consultation to discuss your next steps.
Qualifying For Social Security Disability After A Car Accident
Posted on behalf of Sigman, Janssen, Sewall, Pitz & Burkham on in Social Security
In some car accidents, you may be injured so severely that you are unable to return to work for an extended period of time. In these situations, you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits to help cover costs associated with your injury. The Appleton Social Security Disability lawyers from our firm are prepared to review your claim and determine if you may be eligible to pursue benefits due to your accident in a free consultation.
Also Check: Short Term Disability For Mental Health
How To Get A Car On Ssi Disability
Next, we explore how to obtain an auto while on SSI disability. Supplemental Security Income addresses the needs of adults and children with limited earnings and resources.
Most SSI recipients never paid FICA payroll taxes to fund the system. Therefore, the Social Security Administration requires them to follow specific rules.
How Long Do You Have To Work To Receive Ssd Benefits
Meeting the definition of disability is not the only requirement to qualify for SSD. Only people who have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes can obtain benefits.
When you work a job that pays into the Social Security system, you accrue work credits. These credits are based the amount you earn in weekly wages or self-employment income.
Work credits determine your eligibility for Social Security benefits, including disability. You need 40 work credits, or roughly the equivalent of 10 years of work, to qualify. You can earn up to four credits per year.
In some cases, younger workers who become disabled still may qualify for SSD benefits even if they do not have a total of 40 work credits.
Don’t Miss: Va Disability Rates By Condition
What Resources Don’t Count Toward The Ssi Resource Limit
Your home. Even if you own your home outright, the SSA won’t count it as an asset for the SSI program. To be excluded from the SSA’s asset limit, your house must be your principal residence. The exclusion includes your home, the land it’s built on, and any adjacent buildings.
Your car. The SSA will exclude one car or truck from the asset limit if you need it for transportation otherwise, the value of a car up to $4,500 will be excluded from the resource limit .
Wedding rings. A wedding ring and engagement ring will be excluded from the SSI resource limit.
ABLE accounts. The SSA will exclude the money in an ABLE account for SSI purposes. ABLE accounts are special accounts for those disabled before the age of 26 and they don’t count as assets for the purpose of SSI eligibility.
PASS savings. Income that an SSI recipient sets aside for an SSI “plan for achieving self-support” is not counted. For instance, you could save up over $2,000 in order to attend a school or training program.
IDA savings. The SSA doesn’t count money saved in an “individual development account” for SSI eligibility purposes. IDAs are special accounts designed to allow those receiving TANF funds to save specifically for school, the purchase of a home, or to start a business. The money used to fund the account comes from money you make from working. In addition, some states’ TANF programs match the savings you put into the account.
Savings Options For Ssi Beneficiaries
The SSA makes exceptions for certain savings vehicles and programs designed for disabled and low-income people. Using them, some beneficiaries can have well over $2,000 in savings and keep collecting SSI.
Achieving a Better Life Experience
ABLE accounts provide a tax-free savings opportunity for people with disabilities that were diagnosed before they reached age 26. The first $100,000 in an ABLE account is not a countable resource for SSI. Any balance over $100,000 will be figured into calculating whether you meet the cap on assets.
You can open an account through ABLE programs available in most states. Many allow eligible out-of-state residents to set up accounts, but there may be tax advantages to using your own state’s plan. The ABLE National Resource Center lets you compare state programs.
Plan to Achieve Self-Support
This is a written plan you submit to Social Security outlining a work-related goal that can help you become financially self-sufficient and reduce or eliminate your need for disability benefits. With a PASS, you can set aside money for items needed to reach that goal, such as education, childcare or assistive technology. That money is not considered a countable resource for SSI.
To apply for a PASS, fill out form SSA-545-BK and send it to your local Social Security office. The SSA can refer you to a vocational counselor or PASS specialist in your region for help writing your plan. Call the SSA at 800-772-1213 or consult its PASS brochure to learn more.
Read Also: Free Moving Services For Disabled
How To Get A Social Security Card