Applying for disability benefits can be tricky, especially when figuring out if you may qualify for benefits. The Social Security Blue Book is a great resource to refer to here, but even the Blue Book uses language that may be difficult to understand.
If your disorder requires an inability to “ambulate effectively,” continue below to learn what this term means and how you can provide evidence of this on your disability application.
If you are unable to work because of a medical condition, you might be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. While you may have several questions about how you can qualify for benefits, you should not be concerned if you have family members who are working in most situations.
To be approved for disability benefits, you must meet the qualifications for being fully disabled. No partial disability benefits are available for those who have disabilities. If you are physically well enough to work to earn substantial gainful income, you are not going to be approved for disability benefits.
If you are having health problems that have made working impossible and you are nearing the age of 62, you may think deciding to retire early may be the best option.
However, you need to look at the overall picture and determine whether early retirement or applying for Social Security disability would be the best option in your given situation. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has very specific guideline regarding retirement benefits and disability benefits.
If you are applying for Social Security disability benefits, you may be pondering the idea of getting an attorney or advocate to help you with your claim. You may wonder if the only time an attorney is beneficial is at the hearing before the administrative law judge, so you may be tempted to put off getting an attorney until you reach that point.
However, an attorney or advocate can be very helpful throughout the entire claims process. You can benefit significantly by consulting with an advocate or attorney early on, even before filing your claim.
The effect that additional income has on benefit eligibility, payment amounts, or other factors is determined by the kind of disability benefits for which you’re applying. Although there’s a financial review required during the disability claims process, only some income matters, and even then, only under certain circumstances.
SSI is a need-based program, which means financial circumstances play a major role in not only eligibility but also the amount of your monthly benefit payments.
As a person with low vision or vision loss, you potentially qualify for disability benefits. Before you can begin receiving monthly payments however, you’ll need to apply and be approved for disability. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides tools and options to assist individuals with low vision and other disabilities, including:
Disability benefits are intended to support people who are unable to work due to a serious, long-term medical condition. Some disabilities are intermittent in nature, causing periods of more pronounced physical or intellectual limitations. These kinds of conditions may or may not qualify for benefits, and while you can always apply, the Social Security Administration (SSA) often quickly denies applicants that don’t meet the basic eligibility requirements.
Any person that meets the medical and technical eligibility rules for the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) disability programs can receive benefits. As a homeless person, you’re entitled to the same application processes as anyone else, but there are definitely some challenges you’ll need to overcome in getting your application filed.
An online application can be filed from any internet-connected computer, and you don’t even have to complete the application yourself. Someone else can file on your behalf.
Some people receive disability through the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) SSDI program. Others may get SSI benefits instead of, or in addition to, SSDI. The amount of monthly benefits you qualify for depends on a number of factors, including which program pays your disability, what your earnings history looks like, and in some circumstances, your marital status and living situation.