Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income

The prospect of not being able to work and provide for yourself or your family is frightening. Fortunately, our government has programs that can provide for you in the event this becomes a reality. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has two programs that may be able to assist you if you should become disabled.

According to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker has a three-in-ten chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.  In Texas alone, a total of over a quarter million nonfatal injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry workplaces in Texas during 2007 (Texas Department of Insurance). The prospect of not being able to work and provide for yourself or your family is frightening. Fortunately, our government has programs that can provide for you in the event you are unable to work. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has two programs that may be able to assist you if you should become disabled.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): SSDI pays monthly benefits to you and certain family members if you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. These benefits are paid out from Social Security payroll taxes collected from all workers.  It is intended to support you until your disability improves and allows you to work again, but will also cover you in the event you cannot return to work.  If you have any dependents under 18, they may also be eligible to receive benefits.

To qualify you must:

- Meet the definition of disabled as defined by the SSA, AND

- Be under the age of 65, AND

- Have worked 5 out of the last 10 years

Supplemental Security Income (SSI): This is a income supplement in the form of a monthly stipend intend to help aged, blind, or disabled people with little or no income. These benefits, although administered by the SSA, are paid from the U.S. Treasury, not the Social Security trust. (The idea is that only those who have contributed to the trust should be able to withdraw from it). This benefit may be available to those that may not be eligible for SSDI.

To qualify you must:

- Meet the definition of disabled as defined by the SSA, OR

- Be blind, OR

- Aged (a person 65 or older), AND

- Meet certain minimum income requirements

It’s important to note that the SSA offers benefits only for total disability, that is, they will not offer benefits for partial or short-term disability. The definition of disabled according to the SSA is to: Have a physical or mental condition that prevents one from engaging in any "substantial gainful work,” and the condition is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.

Of these two types of support, Social Security Disability Insurance is typically the benefit a worker who has become disabled should seek. If you are disabled and unable to work it is advisable to apply for and file a claim for Social Security disability benefits as soon as possible. The process can be complicated and is often lengthy—people can quickly find themselves in financial and/or emotional distress simply because they had no idea how long the process would take or how difficult it would be.

The use of an attorney can greatly increase the chances of your claim being approved. The Malaise Law Firm helps citizens in Texas get their Social Security disability claims approved. A skilled Dallas Social Security attorney or their Houston SSI lawyers can educate and support you. They also serve clients in the San Antonio and surrounding area. The Malaise law firm can help you even if your first attempt at a claim was denied. Either way, an experienced professional can get through the red tape and help you receive the benefits you are entitled to.