Social Security FAQs

SSD stands for Social Security Disability, a federal insurance program to help people whose disabilities affect their ability to earn money.

The SSD benefit amount is based on earnings from jobs you’ve worked at.

SSD benefit recipients are eligible for Medicare benefits after they’ve received 24 months of benefits.

You may obtain benefits under SSD if you’ve paid enough taxes to be fully insured. This means you must have worked at least one quarter of the year with coverage for each year after your 21st birthday AND have worked 20 out of 40 quarters before becoming disabled.

When the Social Security Administration reviews your application for benefits, it applies a five-step evaluation process in a specific order. If it can determine your eligibility at any particular step, then evaluation with the next steps isn’t necessary. The steps are:

1. Are you engaged in substantial economic activity? Work generating average earnings of more than a stated limit is considered substantial gainful activity. (Unearned income isn’t considered substantial gainful activity.) If your answer to this question is yes, then you’re not considered disabled and won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is no, the process goes to the next step.
2. Do you have a severe impairment? Severe impairment is defined as significantly limiting your physical and/or mental capacities to perform basic work-related functions. The impairment must last 12 months or more. If your answer to this question is no, you’re not considered disabled and won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is yes, the process goes to the next step.
3. Do you have an impairment listing that qualifies for automatic disabling status? If your answer to this question is yes because you’ve been diagnosed with an impairment on this list [ADD LINK], your case will be easier to prove. This can mean you’re automatically considered disabled and can start receiving benefits. If your answer is no, the process goes to the next step.
4. Are you able to perform work related to your past relevant work? Only work performed in the 15-year period occurring before your onset date of disability will be considered relevant. If your answer to this question is yes, you’re not considered disabled and won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is no, the process goes to the next step.
5. Are you able to perform work found in significant numbers in the national economy? At this point, the burden of proof falls on the government to show that you can engage in some other kind of work that exists in the national economy after factoring in your specific impairment, age, education and work experience. This step of the process is also referred to as “the grids.” If your answer to this question is yes, you won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is no, you’ll be considered disabled and able to start receiving benefits.

Benefit eligibility denials upon initial determination are very common. If you receive a letter of denial, you’ll usually have 60 days (or a handful more to account for mail delivery times) to appeal the initial finding. It’s extremely important to appeal the denial in a timely manner, ideally with the help of an experienced attorney.

When appealing on your behalf, your attorney should obtain medical information from various sources used to show that your application meets the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. A Social Security regional office will schedule a hearing for you and your attorney to attend and make your case before an administrative law judge, who will issue a written decision usually within three to five weeks.

If your denial is overturned on appeal and you’re determined to be eligible for SSD benefits, you’ll likely receive a lump-sum check that covers the period starting with your determined date of disability, less amounts deducted for an initial waiting period and attorney fees. The decision will be considered favorable, partially favorable or unfavorable. Favorable decisions generally will provide for retroactive benefits starting from the original impairment date requested. Partially favorable decisions will generally provide for retroactive benefits going back to a date that’s not as far back as the requested initial impairment date. Depending on the result, you may decide to appeal the decision to the Social Security Administration’s Appeals Council.

SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income, a federal insurance program to help people whose disabilities affect their ability to earn money. SSI is different from Social Security Disability (SSD), which is based on earnings. SSI is for people who haven’t worked for the minimum number of required quarters (parts of a year) to be eligible for SSD. Both use similar criteria to determine whether you’re disabled and eligible for benefits under either program.

The SSI monthly benefit amount changes each year through cost-of-living adjustments and state supplements.

Once you’re considered eligible for SSI benefits, you start receiving Medicaid benefits immediately.

You may become eligible for SSI benefits if you’re considered disabled, haven’t worked the required minimum number of quarters (parts of a year) and don’t have assets that are more than the maximum amount allowed for an individual or couple.

To obtain benefits, you must apply with the Social Security Administration at a local office.

When the Social Security Administration reviews your application for benefits, it applies a five-step evaluation process in a specific order. If it can determine your eligibility at any particular step, then evaluation with the next steps isn’t necessary. The steps are:

1. Are you engaged in substantial economic activity? Work generating average earnings of more than a stated limit is considered substantial gainful activity. (Unearned income isn’t considered substantial gainful activity.) If your answer to this question is yes, then you’re not considered disabled and won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is no, the process goes to the next step.
2. Do you have a severe impairment? Severe impairment is defined as significantly limiting your physical and/or mental capacities to perform basic work-related functions. The impairment must last 12 months or more. If your answer to this question is no, you’re not considered disabled and won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is yes, the process goes to the next step.
3. Do you have an impairment listing that qualifies for automatic disabling status? If your answer to this question is yes because you’ve been diagnosed with an impairment on this list [ADD LINK], your case will be easier to prove. This can mean you’re automatically considered disabled and can start receiving benefits. If your answer is no, the process goes to the next step.
4. Are you able to perform work related to your past relevant work? Only work performed in the 15-year period occurring before your onset date of disability will be considered relevant. If your answer to this question is yes, you’re not considered disabled and won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is no, the process goes to the next step.
5. Are you able to perform work found in significant numbers in the national economy? At this point, the burden of proof falls on the government to show that you can engage in some other kind of work that exists in the national economy after factoring in your specific impairment, age, education and work experience. This step of the process is also referred to as “the grids.” If your answer to this question is yes, you won’t be eligible for benefits. If your answer is no, you’ll be considered disabled and able to start receiving benefits.

Attorneys experienced in handling Social Security Disability and SSI matters advocate on your behalf and are barred from receiving payment from you until benefits are actually granted. The Social Security system will pay the attorney to represent you out of the benefits you receive. This amount is capped at 25% of the amount of accrued benefits received at the time of the award up to $7,200, whichever is less.

Attorneys experienced in handling Social Security Disability matters advocate on your behalf and are barred from receiving payment from you until benefits are actually granted. The Social Security system will pay the attorney to represent you out of the benefits you receive. This amount is capped at 25% of the amount of accrued benefits received at the time of the award up to $7,200, whichever is less.

Benefit eligibility denials upon initial determination are very common. If you receive a letter of denial, you’ll usually have 60 days (or a handful more to account for mail delivery times) to appeal the initial finding. It’s extremely important to appeal the denial in a timely manner, ideally with the help of an experienced attorney.

When appealing on your behalf, your attorney should obtain medical information from various sources used to show that your application meets the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. A Social Security regional office will schedule a hearing for you and your attorney to attend and make your case before an administrative law judge, who will issue a written decision usually within three to five weeks.

If your denial is overturned on appeal and you’re determined to be eligible for benefits, you’ll likely receive a lump-sum check that covers the period starting with your determined date of disability, less amounts deducted for an initial waiting period and attorney fees. The decision will be considered favorable, partially favorable or unfavorable. Favorable decisions generally will provide for retroactive benefits starting from the original impairment date requested. Partially favorable decisions will generally provide for retroactive benefits going back to a date that’s not as far back as the requested initial impairment date. Depending on the result, you may decide to appeal the decision to the Social Security Administration’s Appeals Council.

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, it typically takes 14 to 16 months after an appeal has been filed to start receiving benefits. Although this sounds like a long time, it’s actually shorter than some other areas of the country because the U.S. has a chronic backlog of cases to review.

This can be a complicated question, but the answer is still yes. In a nutshell, the administrative law judge in your case will determine whether you would still be found disabled even if you stopped using drugs or alcohol. So if you also suffer from a condition that would render you disabled under the Social Security guidelines, you would generally be able to obtain benefits.