Requirements for DisabilitySocial Security Disability SSI - Eligibility Requirements and Criteria to Qualify To be eligible to receive either Social Security Disability or qualify for SSI benefits, the following eligibility criteria must apply. Who qualifies for disability? - Qualifying is based on evidence of functional limitations Qualifying for disability benefits (SSD or SSI) is simply a matter of proving one's case through strong objective medical and vocational evidence, combined with a logical, rational argument for approval that is based on the Social Security Administration's rules, regulations, and requirements. The Social Security Disability Approval Process and the Criteria for Decisions What follows is a short description of the disability approval process, which will hopefully help claimants or even potential claimants understand the process by which Social Security Disability claims are approved. How does Social Security Disability decide that you cannot work? How does social security decide whether your can work or not? By evaluating your medical evidence, rating how limited you are, and then comparing this rating to the kind of work you did in the past. How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability or SSI? Part one of this discussion covers the various factors that are an element of each disability determination or decision. Part II, located lower on the page, is a distilled conversation on what you and/or your disability representative need to prove to the Social Security Administration to actually win your case. What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? The decision on your disability case--either a disability award or a denial of your claim--will be made on the basis of three types of evidence. What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Part II After all the various types of evidence have been gathered on a Social Security Disability or SSI disability case by a disability examiner, how is the decision made? Or, perhaps a better way to put it is to ask "How does a person qualify for disability benefits and what makes them eligible?". We can answer the question in two parts. How are medical records and work history used to determine a Social Security Disability claim? The disability examiner will focus initially on getting the medical records gathered. This occurs on day one of the examiner receiving the claim from the social security office where the intake was done. What is the Social Security definition of disability? The definition of disability states that an individual must have a severe impairment that has either lasted, or can be expected to last, for a minimum of one year. What are the Social Security Disability, SSI Requirements For How Disabled You Have to Be? There are two main factors Social Security uses to determine how disabled you are and whether or not you qualify for disability. Applying for Disability - What are the rules and requirements when you Apply? There are two ways of addressing this question. One is to examine the process that the social security administration uses to determine eligibility when you apply for SSDI (Social Security Disability insurance) or SSI (supplemental security income) benefits. Social Security Disability - Permanent Disability Although you do not have to be permanently disabled to qualify for SSD or SSI benefits, you do have to be totally disabled. Proving Functional Limitations and why this is Important on a Disability Case A disability examiner will use a combination of the medical evidence and questionaires, as well as over-the-phone interviews, to get a better picture of a claimant's functional limitations. Social Security Disability, SSI Decisions. What Is the Rate of Approval? For example, Hawaii has the highest approval rate of about 52 percent for initial disability claim decisions, while Mississippi has the lowest initial disability claim approval rate of about 24 percent. What Are the Social Security Disability Requirements For Personal Assets? Social Security Disability has non-disability requirements, but they are not about income (other than wages) or assets (resources). If You Are Currently Working Are You Eligible To Receive Social Security Disability Benefits? Contrary to what most people believe, "some work activity" does not necessarily rule out Social Security eligibility, or even continued disability benefit entitlement (for those who were previously approved and have been receiving benefits). What types of information is Social Security Disability looking for? With regard to the work history, social security is first looking for relevancy. This means jobs that were performed within the past fifteen year period. Are SSI and Social Security Disability Requirements Tougher For Mental Claims? As far as the evaluation process for mental impairments vs. physical impairments goes, there is very little difference in the process. Medical Disability Requirements for SSD and SSI How does the social security administration assess whether or not your physical and/or mental functionality is impaired? The non-medical Disability Requirements for SSD and SSI The non-medical requirements for SSD and SSI generally have to do with income in the sense that a claimant cannot have earned income in excess of a limit known as SGA. Additional pages What are the Requirements for Social Security Disability and SSI? To be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits or SSI disability benefits, you must first meet certain non-disability eligibility requirements. These must be met before your disability claim can even move out of the social security office where you file your claim to the disability determination services agency where the claim is assigned to a disability examiner. Application Requirements For Disability - What Do I Need To Start The Claim? The claims representative (CR) will evaluate the disability applicant to determine their eligibility for Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income disability. What are the Application Requirements For SSI Disability? Even if an applicant is judged to be severely impaired and unable to work, he cannot collect SSI unless his total assets are valued at no more than $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple). More on the following topics here: Criteria and Requirements for Receiving 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. |
