Social Security uses medical disability and non-medical criteria to determine whether or not you qualify for Social Security disability (SSD). First, and foremost, you must be able to prove you are medically disabled. Second, you must have either worked enough to have earned credits to be considered “insured” under the SSD program or your income and assets must be low enough to qualify for the program.
Work Credits
Some people must have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for benefits. Your work credits are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income. People earn up to 4 credits each year they work; however, the amount needed for a credit changes from year to year. In 2017, people earned 1 credit for each $1,300 of wages or income. When you hit the cape of $5,200, you’ve hit your four credits for the year. Generally, older people need 40 credits, 20 of which were received in the last 10 years ending with the year you became disabled. Some younger workers might qualify with fewer credits.
Medically Disabled Condition
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will check to see if you qualify for SSD benefits by running through a checklist concerning your status. If you’re capable of working and earning more than $1,170 a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled. If you’re not working, the Disability Determination Services office will look at your case and make a decision about your medical condition. Your condition must also interfere with essential work-related activities. Take a look at the list of medical conditions the SSA considers to be disabling conditions here.
If you need help determining your eligibility or would like assistance in applying for SSD benefits, let our Orange County SSD lawyers help. Humphrey & Associates is dedicated to providing client-focused services that help people with a full range of legal issues. Let us use our more than 20 years of legal experience to help you get the results you deserve.
Contact us at (844) 612-5800 or fill out our online form to schedule a no-obligation consultation with us today.