Social Security Disability Insurance | Supplemental Security Income
If you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from working, you may be eligible for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. Under federal law, there are two types of benefits for which you may qualify: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance
To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must be disabled, and your disability must either last (or be expected to last) at least 12 months or end in your death. In addition, you must have worked enough, while paying FICA taxes, to have earned sufficient “work credits,” and you must have worked a certain amount during five of the 10 years prior to when you are determined to be disabled.
Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income
The first thing to understand about Supplemental Security Income is that it is a program jointly operated by the federal government and the states. Accordingly, eligibility for SSI benefits varies from state to state. In addition, while a disability can qualify you for SSI, you also can be eligible based on age or blindness.
To meet the federal requirements for SSI, you must show that you:
- Are disabled, blind or over the age of 65,
- Have U.S. citizenship, or meet specific criteria with respect to permanent residency, asylum or refugee status,
- Have limited income—the amount varies from state to state, but typically runs from $700 to $1,400 per month, and
- Have limited assets—generally, the value of property other than your home or car must be less than $3,000, and even less in some states.
Contact an Experienced and Effective Personal Injury Attorney
For a free initial consultation, contact our office online or call us at 973-993-8787. We have office locations in Morristown and Newton but will visit you in your home or the hospital, if necessary.
We take all Social Security disability claims on a contingent fee basis. You will not pay any attorney fees unless we get compensation for your losses.