Social Security Disability

Working long enough and paying Social Security taxes on your earnings eventually qualify for retirement benefits when you reach full retirement age. However, if a medical condition prevents you from working for at least 12 months or longer before you reach retirement age, you may qualify for benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance program.

SSDI pays benefits to you and some members of your family. Almost 9 million workers with disabling physical and mental health impairments receive monthly SSDI payments through the Social Security Administration. At Muse Disability Services, we have a team of seasoned disability advocates who are deeply committed to guiding you through the SSD process, providing you with the support and reassurance you need.

Who is Eligible for Social Security Disability?

You must meet the work requirements to be eligible for disability benefits through SSDI, and you must meet the definition of disabled used by the Social Security Administration. Let’s look first at the work requirements.

Your record of working at jobs that were subject to payment of Social Security taxes in the money you earn must be long enough to meet eligibility guidelines. This generally means you worked for at least five years out of the 10 years immediately prior to the onset of a disability.

What is a Disability for SSD?

The most important thing to keep in mind about disability benefits through the Social Security Administration is you must be totally and permanently disabled. Social Security does not allow SSDI benefits for someone with a partial or temporary disability, as does the disability program administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Social Security’s definition of disability is being unable to engage in substantial gainful activities because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment or a combination of impairments. The impairment or impairments must have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months or be expected to cause death.

The disability must prevent you from doing any work that you did in the past. It also must keep you from doing any other type of work available within the national economy.

As you can see, qualifying for Social Security disability is not easy. Of the applications submitted each year, at least two-thirds of them are denied benefits during the initial review process.

Proving The Existence of a Disabling Medical Condition

Applications for SSDI benefits must be supported by medical records that include notes of examinations, assessments, and evaluations by qualified medical practitioners and include a diagnosis and prognosis. When you apply for benefits, you must furnish a list of the following along with your application:

• All medical practitioners and facilities treating you, including doctors, hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers.
• Medications prescribed by your doctors.
• Information about surgical procedures you underwent for the medical condition.
• Treatment recommendations, including therapy and rehabilitation.

Social Security also asks for information about your education, work experience, and other factors that may affect your ability to transition from the type of work you’ve done in the past to another form of work.

Benefits Payable Through SSDI

The amount you receive each month as SSD benefits when you qualify depends on the amount of earnings you had throughout your work history and the Social Security taxes you paid. It also changes each year because of cost-of-living adjustments. The maximum SSDI monthly benefit in 2024 is $3,822, but the average monthly benefit, according to Social Security, is $1,537.

After receiving SSDI benefits for 24 months, you become eligible for health insurance coverage through Medicare Parts A and B. If someone qualifies for disability benefits with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, they immediately qualify for Medicare.

Muse Disability Services Simplifies the Disability Benefits Process

The complex rules, regulations, and procedures you must go through to qualify for disability benefits can be frustrating and frequently result in applicants making mistakes that delay their claims or lead to a denial of benefits. Disability representatives at Muse Disability Services have extensive experience with Social Security disability. They know what it takes to meet eligibility requirements and work with your medical practitioners to ensure your claim has the medical evidence it needs to be approved.