Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits

Almost everyone in the United States knows thatdeposited enough money to the Social Security
Social Security does not only involve bestowingsystem.
monthly payments to retired people in theUnlike the number of years worked in terms of
country.the computation for retirement benefits, the social
Besides providing retirement income, the Socialsecurity disability benefits measures eligibility based
Security program is primarily geared to act ason the age of the claimant.
insurance for citizens of the country who areGainful activity must have been impeded by a
facing financial troubles. The following are severalmental or physical health problem for a continued
of the qualified situations, but are not limited,period of 12 months in order to become covered
concerning the provision of Social Securityor eligible for disability insurance. Those with
benefits:substance abuse problems like alcohol and drug
- insurance for working people who have reachedabuse will not be covered for such benefits.
retirement ageAll of those, whose claims for disability benefits
- insurance for surviving children or spouse ofare approved either by the Social Security
someone who had passed onAdministration or by an Administrative Law Judge,
- insurance for people who have acquired disabilitywill receive regular payments generally like the
- benefits for veteransretirement benefits. The first benefit payment is
- insurance for people who encounteredset at the time the person's disability has gone on
unemployment5 months already. This is considered the
- welfare for impoverished people like food"five-month waiting period".
stamps and other basic needsA person may receive significantly lesser amount
The Social Security maintains a trust fund and theof benefits when he or she was still relatively
money therein is invested, for the meantime, inyoung at the time the disability started.
bonds, the government utilizes to help in financingSimilar to the retirement benefits, other family
projects like public works all over the country.members, beside the disabled claimant can also
The most familiar types of Social Securityreceive the disability benefits. The criteria are also
benefits are distributed by the followingsimilar to determining other family member
percentages:o Beneficiaries for retirementbeneficiaries for retirement insurance as provided
program - 69%o Beneficiaries for Social Securitybelow:
Disability program - 17%o Beneficiaries for- Spouse who is already over 62 years old
survivors - 14%- Spouse who is of any age and caring for
How to qualify for Disability benefits of the Socialchildren or a child under 16 years old
Security- Spouse who is of any age and caring for a child
The Social Security Disability program provideswith disability before the 22 years old
benefits for people who became disabled that- Divorced spouse over 62 years old. Your
caused the limitation or prevention of his/hermarriage with him or her should have lasted at
ability to perform what the Social Security termsleast 10 years.
as "substantial gainful activity." Simply put, the- Unmarried children under 18 years old or still
disability becomes the primary reason for thestudying in high school
person's inability or limitation to work and earn- Children or child who acquired disability before
income.they reached 22 years old
In order to qualify and receive the disabilityHowever, in disability benefits qualifications -
benefits, a person must prove that he or she isdivorced spouses cannot become eligible for
"fully insured." This generally means that he or shedisability benefits once their former spouse
must have worked for long enough and hasacquires a disability.