Everything you need to know before applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Seattle
Many Americans are perplexed about the difference between SSI and SSDI, and understandably so.
Both SSI and SSDI are government disability assistance programs, with very similar acronyms, that pay benefits to people that the Social Security Administration (SSA) deems disabled. Consequently it’s easy to confuse the two programs.
But if you’re experiencing a disability (be it temporary or permanent) and considering applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Seattle or the surrounding area, you’ll need to have a grasp of each program – whether you qualify, and how to apply.
Let’s start with how the programs are similar. Both SSI and SSDI provide disability benefits, on a monthly basis, with a couple of caveats:
1) Your disability meets/equals the medical criteria outlined in the SSA’s Listing of impairments.
2) Your condition prevents you from performing your past work or adjusting to other work.
And both programs involve a lengthy, complicated and stressful application process that can be utterly overwhelming if you choose to go it alone.
However, that’s where the similarities end. In reality SSI and SSDI are two very different programs. Let’s delve a little deeper and discover the difference between SSI and SSDI, and which is right for you.
”And both programs involve a lengthy, complicated and stressful application process that can be utterly overwhelming if you choose to go it alone.
What Is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?
Social Security Disability Insurance is the program most people think of when they hear ‘disability benefits’.
It is commonly known by the initials SSDI and is designed to provide income to Americans who are unable to work due to disability – provided they have paid into Social Security via payroll taxes or FICA.
Specifically, you need to have earned a certain number of work credits. You can earn up to four work credits per year.
How much will my SSDI benefits check be?
As a rough guide, the amount of cash benefits that SSDI will pay you is based on the amount of wages you earned before you were forced to stop working.
The maximum amount a SSDI recipient can receive in 2022 is $3,345 per month. However the grim reality is that only 10 percent of SSDI beneficiaries receive $2,000 per month or more.
For 2022, the SSA has estimated that the average monthly SSDI benefit is $1,358 per person.
You can estimate your potential disability benefit payment using the SSA’s web-based benefit calculator here. Simply select the option for the adult disability benefits calculator.
What about healthcare?
Claimants who are approved for SSDI will receive Medicare, but there is a 24-month waiting period before it starts.
You read right: SSDI recipients aren’t eligible to receive Medicare benefits until two years after their date of entitlement – you should be automatically enrolled in Medicare, parts A and B, at the beginning of your 25th month.
Medicare will cover many of your medical expenses but it isn’t completely gratis: there are premiums, deductibles, and copays for most parts – and the costs go up every year.
When should I apply for SSDI and how?
As soon as you become disabled. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits have a five-month waiting period, which means that benefit payments will not begin before the sixth full month of disability.
The SSDI waiting period begins the first full month after the date that the SSA decides your disability began.
Once you have all your paperwork (think medical evidence etc) in place, SSDI applications can be filed online or by phone (1-800-772-1213; or TTY 1-800-325-0778 for those who are deaf or hard or hearing; 8am-7pm, Mon-Fri).
Ok, so now that you have got your head around SSDI, what is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a monthly federal supplemental income program.
Funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes), the program is intended for US citizens who are blind or disabled – or 65 years of age and older – who have little or no resources or income.
To receive SSI, you must not have more than $2,000 (or $3,000 for a couple) in countable assets.
The overarching aim of the program is to help successful claimants pay for everyday needs such as food, clothing and housing.
Unlike SSDI, your work history is unimportant: you don’t need to have worked a certain amount of time, or have paid FICA taxes, to be eligible for SSI.
Still wondering whether you qualify? Take advantage of the SSA’s Benefit eligibility screening tool or talk to us at Samson Dunlap LLP today to get a better idea of your eligibility status.
How much will my SSI benefits check be?
SSI eligibility is partially means-tested, meaning your living situation and income determines the amount you will be paid monthly.
As a guide, the monthly maximum you can expect to receive in 2022 is as follows:
*$841 for an eligible individual
*$1,261 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse
*$421 for an essential person
However your monthly SSI benefit will be reduced if you receive other benefits or income. For example veterans’ disability compensation, unemployment, workers’ comp, or Social Security benefits.
What about healthcare?
If approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you will automatically receive Medicaid, whereas SSDI recipients have access to Medicare.
Unlike SSDI beneficiaries, who have to wait two years to receive Medicaid, there is no waiting period for SSI claimants when it comes to Medicaid.
Medicaid pays providers of healthcare services, such as doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and nursing facilities that accept the national health care program.
Samson Dunlap tip: make sure the provider you approach takes Medicaid before agreeing to a service.
When should I apply for SSI and how?
The SSA strongly recommends that you ‘apply as soon as possible’ so that you do not lose benefits.
Applying for SSI however, isn’t as simple as SSDI. While you can apply for SSDI online, with SSI you need to call 1-800-772-1213 (or TTY 1-800-325-0778 if you are deaf or hard of hearing) and make an appointment to lodge an SSI application. Alternatively, visit your local Social Security office.
A word of warning: applying for SSI disability benefits can be a hugely tricky and time consuming process but help is at hand – you don’t have to do this alone.
”Here at Samson Dunlap HQ, we are aware that disabilities not only prevent Americans from working but often put a significant strain upon the individual and their families.
Can I be eligible for both SSDI and SSI?
The answer is a resounding yes. If your income and assets are low enough AND you have the necessary work history, you could potentially qualify for benefits from both programs.
Applying for both SSI and SSDI at the same time is called a ‘concurrent claim’, and we encourage our clients to take this step. It doesn’t hurt to apply, and qualifying for both benefits means you will receive more money each month, and be eligible for Medicare and Medicaid together.
With both programs, the SSA will review your application and supporting documents. They’ll make a decision firstly, as to whether or not you qualify as disabled, and secondly, whether you are entitled to benefits.
If your claim is denied – and the rate of applicants who are approved has remained slim over the years – you can file for reconsideration within 60 days of receiving notice of the SSA’s decision to reject your claim.
It’s not unusual for reconsideration cases to also be denied. In which case, you will need to register an appeal and have your case referred to an administrative law judge (ALJ).
The judge will then review your case and either decide to endorse the SSA’s verdict or rescind it and grant you disability benefits.
“We understand, and that’s why we have a dedicated and experienced team who will fight until the end to help you secure the disability benefits you deserve.”
Where can I get help?
Dealing with a disability is hard enough as it is. Factor in a stressful SSI/SSDI disability claims process that seems designed to destroy your self-esteem and confidence, and it’s easy to feel on edge.
Here at Samson Dunlap HQ, we are aware that disabilities not only prevent Americans from working but often put a significant strain upon the individual and their families.
Or as Keith Kinzebach – a Sampson Dunlap Partner whose speciality is Social Security Disability cases – puts it: “Applying for SSDI, SSI or both is an anxiety-inducing full time job, which is ironic because people are applying because they can’t work.”
We understand, and that’s why we have a dedicated and experienced team who will fight until the end to help you secure the disability benefits you deserve.
For one-on-one support regarding SSDI, SSI and so much more, contact us today. Samson Dunlap has extensive experience of successful Social Security Disability Claims and we are ready and waiting to put that experience to work for you.
Stop struggling with a system that does not care. We are here to support you. That is why you do not pay for our services until we win. Don’t wait any longer. Take control of your life and speak to our friendly team today.