Those suffering from serious ailments find themselves in pain and unable to work. Yet the impact of being unable to provide for yourself or your family can prove to be just as difficult to bear.
Applying for Social Security Disability helps individuals diagnosed with life-altering health problems sustain themselves. Should your condition stop you from working, you may have the ability to apply for the compensation you need.
Defining disability
To receive benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) must determine whether your disability is eligible for compensation. To meet the definition of disabled according to the U.S. government, you must have a medically-determinable physical or mental impairment that is expected to:
- Last for a continuous period of at least 12 months, or
- Result in death
In addition, the SSA rules that you should receive benefits if:
- You cannot do the work you did before; and
- You cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition
Your work experience determines benefits
To apply for benefits, you must provide your personal information and documentation of your qualifying medical condition. To determine the exact amount of money you need, the SSA must also receive information about your work history.Social Security Disability is funded through your Social Security tax contributions, which are often deducted from your paycheck. Therefore, you need to demonstrate that you work or have worked for companies that took out these deductions (or that you paid them on your own). After a certain number of years of work, you receive credits to apply toward receiving Social Security benefits.While the United States does not provide benefits for short-term illnesses, the Social Security Disability program ensures that taxpayers provide you and your family with enough money to sustain yourself for the duration of your ailment. Know that if you qualify, the process of receiving benefits moves quickly – leaving you with peace of mind if you prove unable to work.
