Who gets SSI?In a broader sense, SSI is for individuals who are not insured to receive Social Security Disability benefits, or who are insured but would receive a fairly small Social Security Disability monthly check. The people who fall into the SSI category are usually children, individuals who stopped working more than five years ago, individuals who are self-employed and did not pay enough into the system to be insured, and individuals who had sporadic work or earnings. Given all those categories, SSI disability can really cover a lot of different types of individual and family situations. Here are some pages that address basic questions: 1. How do I qualify for SSI? 2. What are the disability requirements for SSI? 3. How long does it take to get SSI disability? 4. What are the rules for SSI? To answer the question in a different way, however, let's talk about who should generally qualify for SSI or Social Security Disability, or any other state since both programs are federal in scope and are administered by the Social Security Administration. For example, when a person files for disability at a Social Security office in North Carolina (whether its an office in Raleigh, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Cary, Concord, Durham, Greensboro, Gastonia, High Point, Rocky Mount, Winston-Salem, Wilmington, Lumberton, etc), whether or not the claim is for SSD or SSI will be determined at that point. How the determination will be made will be based on whether or not the person has earned enough work credits through their work activity over the years. If they have enough, they will be eligible to have a claim for SSD taken. If not, they may have a claim for SSI disability taken, assuming that they satisfy the non-medical requirements of the SSI program. That's really when the issue of SSD vs SSI is decided, at your local Social Security office. To again use North Carolina as an example, once your disability is taken, then the case is transferred to a North Carolina state government office known as DDS, which stands for disability determination services. It is at DDS that the case actually gets worked on. At DDS, which is in Raleigh, all disability cases are assigned to disability examiners. Examiners use the information that has been provided at the time of application to send off requests for medical records. Once those records are received, they read them, evaluate them, and consider if a person meets the SSA definition of disability. You can read the page linked in the preceding paragraph; however, the process works like this. To get disability disability, a person must either: 1) meet or equal a disability listing, or 2) get awarded on the basis of not being able to return to their past work, or do any other type of work that would earn them a substantial and gainful income. So, as to the question, who gets SSI disability, or Social Security Disability, the answer is: anyone who files and is found to lack the ability to return to their former work or, considering their age, education, limitations, and job skills, is found to also lack the ability to switch to some type of other work that they have never done before may qualify for disability benefits. About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. Most popular topics on SSDRC.com Social Security Disability in North Carolina Common Mistakes to avoid after being denied for Disability Tips to Prepare for Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI Advice to Win SSD and SSI Benefit Claims Social Security Disability SSI Questions What is the difference between Social Security Disability and SSI? How to get disability for depression Getting disability for fibromyalgia SSI disability for children with ADHD What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? Social Security Disability SSI Exam tips More Social Security Disability SSI Questions What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Related pages: How long does a Disability Claim take in North Carolina? How long does it take to file for disability? How much does Social Security permanent disability pay? How much back pay will I get for SSI? When You File an SSI or Social Security Disability Application Will you get disability if your condition is not on the Social Security Impairment List? Will I be approved for disability on my appeal? Can you apply for disability on the basis of multiple health problems? Does Social Security approve a disability application the first time? Why does it take so long to wait for a disability hearing How long is the wait for a disability judge hearing? |
