Kissimmee SSD Eligibility Attorney
The first step in applying for Social Security disability benefits is to check whether you qualify. Unfortunately, not all workers do. The rules are complex, and some people fall through the cracks. Generally, a worker will need sufficient recent work history as well as a qualifying disability before they can get approved for benefits.
If you have questions, contact a Kissimmee Social Security disability eligibility attorney to review your case file.
Earning Enough Work Credits
Men and women will only qualify for disability benefits if they have worked in jobs that are covered by Social Security. This means a job where you pay FICA taxes, either through your employer or as a self-employed individual. If you earned wages “under the table,” then these wages will not help you qualify.
Someone with an inadequate work history cannot receive disability benefits through Social Security. The amount of work will depend on many factors, including your age. Workers earn “work credits” based upon the amount of wages they earn in a year—in 2020, you earn one work credit for each $1,410 in wages. A worker can earn a maximum of 4 credits in a year.
Most workers will need at least 40 work credits to qualify for Social Security disability benefits, and 20 of those credits must be recent (earned within the last 10 years). Younger workers can have fewer credits depending on their age. For example, someone disabled before age 24 only needs 6 work credits in the three years before they became disabled.
Qualifying with a Disability
Social Security disability benefits are paid only to those who have a qualifying disability. SSA will look at the following factors:
- Whether you are continuing to work. Someone who makes $1,260 in 2020 is not disabled. This amount will increase every year.
- Whether your disability is severe. The condition should be so serious that it interferes with your ability to work for at least 12 months. This means the disability makes it harder for you to do simple tasks like walk, sit, stand, or remember.
- Whether your disability is on a list of conditions. SSA keeps a list of medical conditions that qualify. If yours is on the list, then SSA should deem you disabled. If your condition is not on the list, you can still qualify if your impairments are sufficiently serious.
- Whether you can do your previous work. If you can, you are not disabled.
- Whether you can do any other type of job. Based on your age and education, you might be able to transfer to a different field even with the injury.
Many claimants are initially rejected because their condition is not on SSA’s list. Nevertheless, this does not mean they cannot qualify as disabled. Instead, an attorney can help compile medical evidence showing the severity of the illness or injury.
Contact a Kissimmee Social Security Disability Attorney Now
Don’t pass up on the chance to get the benefits that you need. At the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, we help men and women receive the benefits they deserve. You’ve paid into the Social Security system for years. Now draw on disability benefits when you need them.
