If you or someone you know will go into the world of Social Security Disability Insurance, which is sometimes complicated, there may be two questions at the top of the list.
- How is disability calculated?
- How quickly can eligibility enter and payment begin?
Answering these questions requires a little background work and an understanding of how Social Security Disability Insurance operates.
Disability Defined
Like the on / off button, there is no middle ground in terms of the definition of Social Security regarding disability. You are disabled or not. There is no such thing as partial or short-term disability.
Social Security bases the determination of disability in your inability to work as defined by the following conditions:
- You cannot do the work that you normally do.
- You cannot do other work because of your disability.
- Your inability to survive (or are expected to survive) for at least a year or to result in your death.
This strict definition has no room for movement. If you cannot meet the requirements listed above, Social Security does not consider you disabled.
Qualification for Disability Benefits
To be eligible for disability benefits:
- You must work in a job covered by Social Security – with certain conditions.
- You must have a medical condition that meets the definition of Social Security about disability.
If Social Security determines that you meet these requirements, it will pay monthly benefits until you can work again or until your death. you can contact erisa disability lawyer in St Petersburg if you are still confused whether you are qualified or not as a person with a disability, you can consult with them and they are ready to help you.
Evaluation Process
After you register, the actual process used by Social Security to determine whether you are disabled involves answering five questions.
- Are you currently working?
If you work, and your average income is more than $ 1, 090 (in 2015), you will not be considered disabled.
If you don’t work, or your income drops below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit, you move to the second question.
- Is the condition “severe”?
You will not be considered disabled, if you are considered to still be able to do basic work activities.
If your condition interferes with basic work activities, you turn to the third question.
- Are your conditions found in the list of deactivation conditions?
Social Security keeps a list of crippling medical conditions that automatically make you qualify as a disabled person.
If you are declared eligible, you will be deemed to be defective and your application will be approved. If not, you turn to the fourth question.
- Can you do the work you did before?
If your condition does not bother you to do the work that you normally do, you will not be considered disabled. If so, you turn to the fifth question.
- Can you do other types of work?
if you can’t do the work that you normally do, Social Security will analyze whether you can do other types of work.
If the Social Security determines that you can adjust to another suitable job – taking into account the conditions, age, education, prior work experience, and other factors, your claim will be rejected. If you cannot adjust, your claim will be approved.