Qualifying for SST/SSD

The most crucial aspect of qualifying for Social Security Disability and Social Security Transitioning benefits is to stay organized and on top of your medical evidence. The percentage of applicants who received benefits was on average 28% of applicants according to the government. However, more recent ratings may be higher. To improve your chances of qualifying for benefits, you must follow the federal guidelines very carefully and provide as much detail as possible.

If you are ready to begin working on your Social Security Disability application and want to know what is required for qualification, you can contact a knowledgeable team. Speak with Pisegna and Zimmerman today for a free consultation.

Qualification Requirements for Social Security Disability and Transitioning

Knowing whether you qualify or not is dependent on your understanding of what defines a disability and how it impacts your ability to work.

What Qualifies As Disability

According to Social Security rules, your disability must be a medical condition that stops you from performing the previous work you once did. This means that, while you may have worked in the past, this disability prevents you from continuing your current career or line of work. This also means that the disability places limitations on your income. Additionally, this disability doesn’t allow you to transition into another industry or field because of your medical condition. The timespan also matters as this disability has to extend past a year for it to be considered a disability. For short-term disabilities, it is assumed that there are other avenues of support that can aid income loss. Those who don’t suffer from a long-term disability are expected to depend on savings, insurance, investments, and other forms of compensation.

Severity of Disability

If you are making more than $1,310 a month, you are not considered disabled as you have a sustainable amount of income. The disability must be severe enough that it outlasts a year, and it must interfere with workplace activities such that it prevents you from performing your role. For each type of disability, there are a number of medical conditions that the Social Security Administration considers to be severe. If you qualify as having a severe form of disability, you may receive your benefits far more speedily. For example, quick disability determinations use computer screening to immediately discover cases that should receive help as soon as possible. A compassionate allowance, on the other hand, allows for certain cases to receive help as soon as the diagnosis is verified. Diseases such as any kind of cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and leukemia are included in this category.

Additional Benefits for Unqualified

Even if you are not disabled, you may still receive benefits for special circumstances.

Disabled Children

If your child qualifies as disabled, you can still receive benefits. The child would have to qualify before the age of 22, and fulfill specific requirements. Some of the conditions that a child would qualify under include cerebral palsy, down syndrome, total deafness or blindness, severe intellectual disability over the age of four, a birth weight below two pounds, and symptomatic HIV infection. For children that are 18 and up, typically benefits don’t continue. They would have to prove that they are still severely disabled to continue receiving benefits. If they are not blind, they can’t make more than $1,310 a month and claim disability. However, if they are blind, they can have to make less than $2,190 in order to continue claiming disability. Similar to an adult, they have to meet the medical conditions which show that it is a severe disability. Additionally, just like a disabled adult, the child would have to have a disability that extends beyond the 12 month period.

Blind or Low Vision Qualifications

If you are legally blind, you can qualify for social security benefits if your eyesight cannot be corrected. This goes by the rule that your eyesight cannot be improved more than 20/200 in your better eye. Also, if your visual field is less than 20 degrees with the corrective lens, then this is also identified as legally blind. People may still be able to navigate and read large print but cannot drive a vehicle. If your vision and health problems both prevent you from working, then this will also qualify as a disability because the combination of both issues prevents you from receiving an income.

Disabled Widows or Widowers

Other ways to qualify are if you are a worker’s widow or widower of someone who was disabled. For example, if the surviving spouse was dependent on the disabled worker, they receive the benefits after their passing. If the widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse has a disability and is caring for their children, they can still receive disability payments within seven years of that worker’s passing.

Wounded Warriors and Veterans

Veterans and warriors who are not specifically disabled but have been wounded are also eligible. Even if they don’t have a qualifying medical condition, sustaining an injury can also be a disability. They may be able to receive both veteran and social security benefits based upon their injuries.

Get Started and Learn How to Qualify

If you are still confused about the qualification process, work with a very experienced team that can guide you on the federal social security benefit requirements. The requirements for each medical disability falls into categories, each of which has outlined what is considered severe conditions or not. However, some medical disabilities can receive benefits immediately because they are considered extraordinarily extreme. To help you understand the best approaches in the application process, and how you can identify which disabilities stand out, you can work with Pisegna and Zimmerman for a free consultation.