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Contrary to popular belief, social security is not only available to older adults who are of retirement age; individuals who have a physical or mental health problem that precludes them from being gainfully employed can sometimes also qualify. If you are not sure where you stand, a Social Security benefits lawyer can help determine your eligibility.
Who Receives Social Security Benefits
For reference, nearly 70 million people in the U.S. receive benefits from programs administered via the Social Security Administration. Of that roughly 70 million, around 86% of recipients receive benefits because of a physical disability or blindness. Applying for and being awarded social security benefits once you reach retirement age is pretty straightforward.
The same does not always hold true for individuals seeking Social Security benefits due to being physically unable to work. According to research, the Social Security Administration (SSA) routinely denies over half of all initial applications.
Many of those applications come from individuals who are not necessarily of retirement age but are applying for benefits because they can’t work due to being legally blind or otherwise disabled.
How Does Social Security Determine Eligibility?
The criteria you have to meet to be eligible for Social Security benefits is that you either previously worked a job covered by Social Security or currently have a medical condition that meets the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability.
The devil is in the details; determining eligibility is much more nuanced than being of a certain age and retiring from a job covered by Social Security. Likewise, there is more to being deemed eligible than having a disability on the agency’s approved list of disabilities. Bearing all that in mind, let’s address these two things separately.
Retirement and Social Security Benefits
If you do not have a qualifying disability, you must be at least 62 years old to apply for Social Security benefits. Additionally, you must have earned enough work credits; otherwise, the agency will probably immediately deny your application.
Individuals earn work credits by working a job covered by Social Security and paying their fair share of Social Security taxes. Talk to your employer or lawyer to learn how much work credit you have.
The Social Security Administration says individuals must earn at least 40 work credits to qualify for Social Security benefits. As of the writing of this article, the agency says individuals will earn one work credit for every $1,510 in covered earnings per year. The maximum amount of work credits individuals can receive in a single calendar year is four.
Disability and Social Security Benefits
The Social Security Administration’s list of qualifying disabilities is an extensive one. Provided someone has one of the approved disabilities, there is a good chance they will qualify for benefits as long as they have met all other requirements. Some of these disabilities, as defined by the Social Security Administration, include the following:
- Arthritis
- Autism
- Back pain
- Blindness or hearing loss
- Cardiovascular disease
- Epilepsy
- Fibromyalgia
- Hypertension
- Mood disorders
- Parkinson’s disease
In addition to the ones mentioned in this article, many more health conditions fit under the Social Security Administration’s strict umbrella of qualifying disabilities. As such, it is a good idea to speak with Underwood Law Social Security Disability lawyers to confirm whether or not you are eligible to receive benefits based on your unique health condition.
Even when someone has a confirmed qualifying disability, the Social Security Administration will factor in the following when deciding whether or not someone will receive benefits:
- The severity of your health condition or disability
- Whether or not you can do the same work you did previously
- Whether or not you can work a different job
Contact a Lawyer for Guidance
Several factors can dictate whether or not someone is deemed eligible to receive social security benefits. To improve your chances of being approved for these benefits on the first go-round, consider scheduling a consultation with a Social Security lawyer.
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