Understanding the Basics of Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security is a government insurance program in the United States that delivers monthly payments to eligible individuals. Many individuals include Social Security in their retirement plans. Still, Social Security payments may also be paid to dependents of retired employees, persons with disabilities, and family members of workers who have died. A Rogers social security disability attorney can tell you more, so schedule a consultation today. 

The Basics of Social Security Disability 

The Social Security Administration (SSA) supplies two types of payments to disabled workers: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI is for low-income persons, the blind, and children, whereas Social Security deductions from salaries support SSDI and support those who have paid into the system. 

You must have a condition that precludes you from earning a particular monthly income as a full-time worker to be considered “disabled” to collect SSDI or SSI payments. In addition, the handicap must have lasted (or be expected to remain) for 12 months or be likely to result in death.

The SSA has an official list of medical impairments, known as the “blue book,” of authorized medical disorders. Chronic cardiovascular disease, mental illnesses such as autism, anxiety, depression, hearing or vision loss, and Parkinson’s disease are also on the list. However, even if your disease is not included in the blue book, you may still be qualified because each case is evaluated individually. 

How Social Security Works 

Social Security is a federal government-run social insurance scheme. If you are presently employed, you contribute “premiums” to the system through OASDI deductions, which stand for Old Age, Survivor, and Disability Insurance. In 2023, the first $160,200 earned yearly will be subject to OASDI deductions.

People who work for a company and obtain a W-2 at the end of the year will pay 6.2% of their wages into OASDI, while their employer will contribute an extra 6.2%. Self-employed people, including gig workers, pay 12.4% based on their net earnings.

Do you qualify for Social Security disability benefits? 

Workers are eligible for Social Security payments if they have accumulated enough credits for the program. Workers get a credit, known in Social Security parlance as a “quarter of coverage,” for every $1,640 in Social Security taxes paid. Regardless of yearly income, the SSA restricts credits to four per year.

The number of credits required is determined by the sort of benefits sought. Workers who reach 62 after 1990 must have at least 40 credits – equal to 10 years of covered labor – to qualify for retirement benefits. Workers who die or become handicapped before age 62 qualify for benefits with fewer credits. Still, the number of credits required depends on their age when they die or become incapacitated.