The Social Security Disability and SSI programs both provide monthly benefits and medical coverage to eligible individuals. While both programs require that recipients be unable to perform full-time work, their other requirements and their actual benefits differ greatly.
Those applying for Social Security Disability (Title II) must establish that they earned sufficient Social Security credits by working and paying taxes in essentially any five out of ten years directly preceding the onset of their disability. The amount of benefits will depend on the amount of taxed earnings over the individual’s lifetime. Once disability is established, the individual will be eligible to receive monetary benefits beginning either five months following the onset of their disability, or a year prior to their application for benefits (whichever method pays less retroactive benefits). Eligible individuals also qualify for Medicare two years after they become eligible to receive monetary benefits. Social Security Disability (Title II) beneficiaries with children under the age of 18 may also be eligible to receive additional benefits on their behalf.
Individuals between the ages of 50 and 60 with recently deceased spouses may also be eligible to receive benefits based on that spouse’s taxed earnings.
Those who don’t meet the requirements of Title II Social Security Disability above may still qualify for some benefits under Supplemental Security Income (SSI, aka Title 16) if they fall into certain need-based categories. Unmarried individuals can qualify if their available assets are less than $2,000 (the value of one home in which they live and one vehicle are exempted from this analysis). The rules to qualify change dramatically and become fairly complex depending on whether the claimant is married, whether their spouse has their own income/assets, and whether they have children in their household.
To learn more about these programs and the benefits they provide, please contact me.