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What determines eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits?

Contrary to what you may have heard, Social Security Disability is not a handout, nor is it welfare. Furthermore, it is not a means-tested program in which the amount that you can receive in benefits is based on your need. Instead, it is more like an insurance policy. Throughout your career, you have most likely been working at jobs where your paycheck was subject to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax.

Every time that your employer deducted the FICA tax from your payroll, you were effectively making a payment into the Social Security fund. Now that you have suffered an unfortunate illness or injury and are unable to work and support yourself, it is your right to claim benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance. Before you can receive benefits, however, it will be necessary to prove to the Social Security Administration that you meet the requirements for eligibility.

Qualifying Conditions for Social Security Disability

There are two basic criteria that must be met in order to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. The first is having a qualifying condition. You must be able to demonstrate to the local Disability Determination Services that you have an illness or have suffered an injury that is expected to force you out of work for at least a year.

It is not necessary to wait 12 months before filing the claim, but your medical records should show that you will be unable to work for a minimum of a year. It is also possible to qualify if you have been diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Social Security Credits

The other aspect of eligibility is having accumulated a sufficient number of Social Security credits by working for a certain amount of time at jobs where you were paying the FICA tax. You receive credits based on the amount that you have earned, with 1 credit being equivalent to $1,160 in earnings as of 2013. The number of credits required depends on the age of the applicant. For example, a younger individual is possibly insured with as few as 6 credits, whereas a claim for a 31-year-old person would require a minimum of 20 credits.

Hiring the North Carolina Social Security Disability claims representatives at Golson, McCracken Inc. can make the difference between your claim being approved or learning that you are being denied benefits. With nearly two decades of experience, we know what types of evidence and medical records the staff at Disability Determination Services need to see if they are to approve a claim.

In the event that you do have a qualifying condition yet lack the necessary documentation, we can help you obtain further medical evaluations for the purpose of getting evidence to support your case. We can additionally assist with gathering records of your work and income history in order to present an accurate picture to the SSA so that you can receive the full amount of benefits that you deserve. Our team has helped thousands of people in your situation, and we have recovered a total of more than $25 million for our clients.

Eligibility for Additional Benefits

When we review your case, we will also examine the situation in order to determine whether you may additionally be eligible to receive any other types of public assistance benefits. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be able to claim Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Medicare and Veterans Disability Benefits. For example, many people who qualify for Social Security Disability benefits also meet the eligibility requirements for one of the types of Medicare insurance coverage. In the event that you are eligible, we can assist you with preparing your application and pursuing these claims.

Throughout the handling of your claims, we will maintain contact with you to keep you fully informed. To find out whether you are eligible and how much you could receive in benefits, take the first step in your case by filling out our client intake form now.