You may have heard from other people about how long it can take for Social Security to decide if you qualify for Social Security disability benefits. One way to avoid delays and a denial of benefits is by making sure that you meet both the medical and non-medical Social Security disability requirements to qualify.
The disability advocates at London Disability know from our experience helping people with applications and appeals that people focus on the medical requirements and either ignore or get confused by the nonmedical requirements. Of course, allowing one of our SSD advocates to handle the process for you ensures that your application meets eligibility guidelines. Here to give you a better understanding of exactly what we mean is an overview of the nonmedical requirements for the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs administered by the Social Security Administration.
Nonmedical Social Security Disability Insurance requirements
The SSDI program provides monthly payments to individuals whose work history meets the eligibility requirements. The program is funded by Social Security taxes people pay on the income they earn through jobs or self-employment. You may have a medical condition causing a physical or mental impairment resulting in a disability that prevents you from working, but the lack of a sufficient work record would prevent you from qualifying for benefits.
Social Security reviews your work record to determine if you worked long enough to qualify. It does this by looking at the work credits you earned through employment at a job or through self-employment.
A work credit is earned based on the amount of income earned each year that you worked. You may acquire up to four credits annually. Social Security makes annual adjustments to the amount of income required to earn a work credit. For 2021, a work credit is earned for each $1,470 you have in income that is subject to the payment of Social Security taxes. For instance, income earned while working off the books does not count toward work credits unless you paid Social Security taxes on the money.
The number of work credits you need to qualify for SSDI depends on how old you are when you become disabled. The following are some examples of the number of work credits needed to qualify based on age at the onset of disability:
1). Six work credits if you become disabled before 24 years of age.
2). Eight to 18 credits if the onset of the disability is between 24 and 30 years of age.
3). Twenty work credits if the onset of the disability is between 31 and 42 years of age.
A portion of the work credits must be earned within a specific time of the onset of disability. For example, you need six work credits to qualify for benefits before you are 24 years of age, but you must have earned them within three years of the onset of disability. This can be an issue should you stop working because of a disability and wait several years before applying for benefits. You may have enough credits, but you may not have earned some of them recently enough to be eligible for benefits.
You can avoid problems pertaining to work credits by asking an SSDI advocate at London Disability to review your work record. The disability advocate helps you determine whether you meet the nonmedical Social Security disability requirements and provides options in the event you do not.
Nonmedical requirements for SSI
SSI is a need-based program that provides monthly payments to blind or disabled adults and children. You do not need a work record to qualify for SSI, but you must meet nonmedical requirements as well as meet limits on the financial resources available to you.
The income limit for 2021 is the $794 federal benefit rate for one person and $1,191 for a couple. Determining whether your income exceeds the limits for SSI can be tricky, so it helps to get advice from an SSI advocate.
Social Security allows you to exclude the first $20 of monthly earned or unearned income. It also lets you exclude the first $65 of earned income and one-half of any earned income that remains.
Resource limits for SSI are only $2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple. The value of the money you have in the bank or on hand, real estate, and other assets all count toward the resource limits. However, there are resource exclusions, such as the value of a home that you occupy as your principal residence.
Get sound advice from a disability advocate
Your best source for information about the nonmedical requirements for Social Security disability is a disability advocate at London Disability. Contact us today for a free review of your claim for benefits and experienced handling of your application or appeal.
What Are Non-Medical Requirements for Disability? To receive Social Security disability insurance benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI) you must meet both medical and non-medical requirements. Typically, Social Security will make sure you meet the non-medical requirements before looking at the medical requirements.
General Non-Medical Requirements for Disability
The non-medical requirements for disability include any criteria not related to your medical or mental health conditions. This includes your proof of age. Generally, you can use your birth certificate as proof of age. Social Security will also ask you questions about your marital status and children.
Non-Medical Requirements for Disability and Work Status
Additionally, Social Security will also need to confirm that you are no longer working. Social Security defines disability as having medical conditions that keep you from working. Your conditions must keep you from working for at least 12 months. Therefore, if you are still working full time or are out of work for less than 12 months, you would not qualify for Social Security disability benefits.
Non-Medical Requirements for SSDI
In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, you need to have worked a certain number of years. Any worker with a valid Social Security number who paid into Social Security may file for SSDI benefits. Social Security keeps track of your earnings and work credits. You receive work credits each year that you work and pay taxes. Generally, you need at least 20 work credits to qualify for Social Security disability benefits.
Non-Medical Requirements: SSDI Work Credits
Social Security disability work credits expire after a certain amount of time after you stop working. Your date last insured (DLI) is the last date you can qualify for SSDI benefits. Usually, your DLI covers five years after you stop working. However, your coverage may end in less than five years if your earnings were low. Your coverage may also be limited if your work was inconsistent.
Example : SSDI work credits
As an example, say you stopped working in June 2019. You worked consistently for the past 12 years. Your date last insured would expire around June 2024. Therefore, you are currently eligible to file for Social Security disability benefits.
Non-Medical Requirements: Expired DLI
You can still apply and qualify for SSDI benefits if your DLI has expired. However, you must prove that you were disabled before your DLI expired. Sometimes, this can be very difficult. The longer you wait to file for SSDI after your DLI expired, the harder it can be to prove your case.
Example: SSDI expired DLI
For example, Donna stopped working in June 2013 when her fibromyalgia symptoms became worse. She did not file for Social Security benefits until December 2019. Her DLI expired in June 2018. Donna must have medical evidence showing that her condition prevented her from working before June 2018.
Non-Medical Requirements for SSI
Supplemental Security Income is a financial needs-based program. To qualify for SSI, Social Security considers your income, assets and resources. Unlike SSDI, you do not need to have worked or earn any work credits. Both children and adults can file for SSI. However, Social Security looks at the income of the parents for children’s SSI eligibility.
What are the Financial Requirements for SSI?
SSI benefits have a very strict set of financial requirements. It is considered a “means-tested” benefit. To meet the SSI income requirements,
- You must have less than $2,000 in assets (or $3,000 for a couple)
- Have a very limited income
- Are a US citizen (there are very few exceptions to this)
Can You File for Both SSDI and SSI?
In some cases, you can file for both SSDI and SSI. You may have earned enough credits for SSDI. You may also meet the financial requirements for SSI. Filing for both SSDI and SSI is referred to as filing for “concurrent benefits.” However, to receive concurrent benefits, you must be approved medically for SSDI but receive low monthly payments.
Example: non-medical requirements for SSDI and SSI
For example, you have worked consistently in the past. Unfortunately, you have had to stop working due to your medical conditions. Now that you are no longer working, your income is very limited. You may have to apply for state assistance or file for SSDI/SSI or rely on others for financial help.
Technical Denials
If you do not meet the non-medical requirements for disability, you will receive a technical denial. Social Security will send you notice of a technical denial pretty quickly. You cannot appeal a technical denial.
Medical Requirements for Disability
If you meet the non-medical requirements for disability, Social Security evaluates the medical requirements. Your claim will be sent to Disability Determination Services (DDS.) DDS contacts your doctors for you medical records. They may schedule examinations with a Social Security consultative examiner. DDS will determine whether you are medically disabled.
Getting Help with your Disability Claim
Working with an experience advocate can be beneficial. It can help improve your chances of winning your case. Your disability advocate understands both the medical and non-medical requirements for Social Security disability claims. They can help guide you through the process.
Disability Help Group, Call Now for a Free Case Review, 800-700-0652
Make sure you start your claim the right way and apply for all the benefits you deserve. Contact us now for a free consultation.
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