Social Security Benefits FAQ
Posted 06/18/09
Social security regulations are labyrinthine, and working out which social security benefits you are allowed to receive can be challenging. To make the process easier, here are answers to some of the questions frequently asked by applicants for disability benefits.You will not be able to get partial disability benefits through SSA. Disability social security benefits are available only to people who are completely disabled and have been so (or are expected to be so) for at least a year. If you need partial disability, you will have to apply through a state or local disability program. Being denied disability benefits from SSA will not automatically disqualify you from receiving benefits through state and local programs.
However, even if you are deemed to be completely disabled, you can keep working while receiving disability social security benefits, provided you are sufficiently disabled that your work capacity is low. When you apply for disability, the state agency in charge of your case will assess your total earning capacity. If you can still work but your maximum possible income falls below a certain amount, you can still collect disability benefits. Note that your highest POTENTIAL income, not your CURRENT income, is the deciding factor: You will not be eligible for social security benefits if there is another occupation that you have the training and physical ability to perform, and you would be able to earn above the minimum income level by switching to it. You will not be pushed beyond your limits and asked to do work you are not capable of doing. The state agency takes into account applicants' health, age, experience, and education when evaluating which jobs they are suited to do. If you would be able to support yourself if you switched to a better job, training and job search assistance are available
Many applicants are confused and annoyed by their social security agents' request to continue seeing doctors even after they have doctors' statements that there is no available medical treatment for the applicant's condition. If you are in this position, there is an explanation! First, your regular doctors may not be able to provide all of the information the state agency needs to evaluate your case. The agency will arrange for you to see a doctor who has the specialized experience or equipment necessary to complete the examination. The examination is part of your case evaluation, not a part of your treatment plan.
Second, even untreatable conditions change, and not all disabilities are permanent. Regular examinations to chart the progress of your health are essential. Even without treatment, your condition may improve enough to allow you to return to work.
And third, medicine brings new miracles every year. Why let resignation steal a possible cure from you? It is a small nuisance compared to the huge lifestyle benefits you could reap.
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