29 Sep What To Know About Social Security Disability Requirements (SSD/SSDI)
No longer able to work due to physical or mental disability? How will you pay your mortgage, rent and other obligations? You may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits (SSD/SSDI). Here are several of the core requirements:
1. Having enough work credits.
Work credits (in the Social Security context) may be a term that you do not recognize. Basically, employees earn four credits per year. Depending on your age, you would need to have worked five of the last ten years leading up to your disability to qualify for disability benefits. If the person who becomes disabled or unable to work is a younger person, the credit requirement is lowered.
2. Your condition or disability must meet and satisfy the definition of disabled.
Has your condition lasted, or can it be expected to last for at least twelve (12) months? Satisfying this requirement is complicated. You must also satisfy Social Security Administration’s definition of disabled as defined by their rules and regulations. As with work credits, this is also a very complicated issue and would require consultation with an attorney that practices Social Security disability law.
3. You are unable to do a job that you were once able to perform and there are no other jobs in our economy that you are capable of performing.
If you are unable to continue doing a job that you are qualified for or any other job based on you work experience (assuming you satisfy the other requirements), you may be found disabled and entitled to Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration considers many factors in its determination concerning your past work and whether you are able to perform your past work and any other work.
The Social Security disability claim process is often a long and drawn-out process. The law is complicated and changes frequently. I have provided a “brief sketch” of the requirements and recommend that you contact the Kasunic Law Office for help and representation with your disability claim. Let us help you get through this process.