Before Applying for SSD - Eligibility

Disability benefits are a great way to cover the costs of medical bills and every day living expenses if you suffer from a disability or medical condition and are unable to work. To start receiving benefits, you have to apply for them with the Social Security Administration (SSA) either online, over the phone, with the help of an attorney, or in person at your local SSA office. Fortunately, there are many SSA offices throughout the country to make an in-person application as accessible as possible.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has disability programs for people who are medically disabled and are unable to work. You should know that if you’re a veteran who’s a wounded warrior, the SSA makes allowances for you to receive Social Security disability and VA disability simultaneously. In fact, the SSA will expedite claims for military service members who have become disabled while actively serving on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where your disability has occurred.

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.