If you have worked long enough and have paid taxes, you will be considered "insured." Then, if you become injured and are no longer able to work for a period of time, you will be able to receive benefits as well as your family members. Also, if you are in financial need, you may be entitled to benefits.
SSDI Benefits
The average SSDI benefits paid out each month are $1,259. The benefits are based on your average lifetime earnings and are not based on how disabled you are or how much you were making. Therefore, if you had an increase in your income prior to becoming disabled, your SSDI benefits might go down because you have made less money overall over the course of your life.
Paying for SSDI Insurance
The benefits are paid for through payroll deductions that you pay for your entire life. You will need to have earned 40 credits, and 20 of these credits must have been earned in the last ten years.
Who Will Receive Benefits
Eligible family members for benefits can include your children, spouse, a divorced spouse, and adult children who were disabled before the age of 22. You will want to report that you're disabled as soon as you are, however, and then the waiting period can begin. Whether or not these benefits are taxable depend on your income.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must not be able to work, you will need to have worked recently, and you must be disabled. It's much easier to qualify for SSDI benefits if you have one of several qualifying conditions, but this is not a requirement. However, you may find it difficult to prove that you should receive benefits unless you're working closely with a Social Security disability attorney.
If you do not qualify for one of the conditions that the SSA looks for, you will still be able to qualify if you are able to prove that the symptoms of your condition are similar to those of another condition or you will need to prove that your symptoms are unusually severe. For example, if you have a heart problem that normally does not qualify, the symptoms of this heart condition may be worse than usual.
If you have questions about a Social Security Disability claim, contact an attorney in your area to get a consultation and find out if you are eligible to apply.
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