Social Security Disability (SSD) is a federal program that pays monthly benefits to you if you become disabled before you reach retirement age and are unable to work.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

MANDATORY WORK HISTORY

To qualify for SSD, you must have worked for a specified period of time and paid social security taxes. Generally, you have to work at least five 5 of the last 10 years.

SEVERE AND LONG TERM DISABILITY

• You must have a severe long term disability to be eligible for SSD. You must be totally disabled by social security standards, which means that you are not able to perform “substantial gainful employment.” SSD benefits are eligible only to those with a severe, long-term, total disability.
• Severe means that your condition must interfere with basic work-related activities.
• Long-term means that your condition has lasted is expected to last at least one year.
• If you are able to work in a limited capacity and earn more than $1,090 ($1,820 for blind individuals) per month in 2015, then the Social Security Administration considers you substantially gainfully employed and ineligible for SSD.

APPROVAL FOR SSD

If the Social Security Administration has approved you for SSD, you will not begin receiving benefits until you have been totally disabled for 5 months. Also, your family members may be eligible for a partial monthly benefit.

SSD DENIAL

The vast majority of initial applications for SSD are denied. These denials can be appealed. It is in your best interest to immediately consult an attorney, who handles SSD claims, should your application be denied. The attorneys at Mitchell J. Schroeder, P.C. have experience and knowledge in this area of law.

Please call Mitchell J. Schroeder, P.C. at (844) 851-8511 for  a FREE NO-OBLIGATION consultation. We have appointments available in our NYC and Rockland County offices.