Federal benefits provided through the Social Security Administration (SSA) exist for those with income needs following a life changing injury. Read below for information on how you or a loved one can apply for aid.
What Is Social Security?
Founded in 1935, the SSA provides retirement, disability and survivor income to individuals. Though we may think of Social Security as an excision from our paychecks for use after we retire, another significant facet of the Administration is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
How Can I Get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) grants financial benefits to those who cannot work due to disability and have enough work quarters to qualify. Receiving benefits requires submitting an application. The purpose of the application process is to determine if an individual has a condition or disability, defined as “not able to engage in any substantial gainful activity…because of a medically determinable physical or mental disability that is either expected to result in death or has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months.” This is preceded by determining how long an individual has worked for, leading up to the quarter during which their injury occurred (for example, those 24 or younger must have worked 1.5 of the last 3 years (6 work quarters), 3 of the last 6 for those in between 24 and 31 (12 work quarters), and 5 of the last 10 for those 31 or older (20 work quarters)).
Although individuals are encouraged to apply as soon as they are able, benefits do not begin until the sixth month after injury and there is no back payment to the date of injury. Applications can be submitted through an online portal or administered over the phone calling a local office is more convenient than the national line). Denial of benefits may happen if there is insufficient medical documentation to prove disability or if a person does not respond in time to inquiries from the SSA.
For more information of SSDI and SSA, click here.
For more on how QLI’s team members work to help individuals meet and gain benefit support, click here.
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