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Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a government-sponsored program that provides financial assistance to people with qualifying disabilities and is run by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Several employment and medical factors are required to qualify for SSDI benefits. Here’s what you need to know about the application process.
Once someone qualifies for SSDI, they’ll receive payments electronically to a bank account through direct deposit or onto a Direct Express Debit Mastercard. In extremely rare cases, there may be an exception to the rule that all payments must be made electronically.
As long as you have a qualifying health condition and cannot work routinely, you can continue to receive SSDI benefits. The SSA will perform regular checks to confirm that your disability still exists.
SSDI pays beneficiaries a monthly income based on several factors, including average earnings over their work history and the payment of Social Security taxes on those earnings, according to the SSA.
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The SSA uses a progressive benefit formula — weighted so that lower earners may get proportionally higher benefits — in its calculation.
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Social Security monthly payments, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and SSDI, increased 8.7% in 2023 due to the SSA’s annual cost-of-living adjustment, which tracks changes based on the consumer price index.
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The average SSDI benefits that disabled workers received monthly in January 2023 was $1,483, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
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The maximum amount of SSDI someone can receive in 2023 is $3,627 per month.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must have:
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Worked and paid Social Security taxes. Typically, you’ll need to have worked for five out of 10 years before the onset of your disability.
The typical waiting period to receive benefits is five months. The SSA may pay benefits retroactively if it finds that you were eligible. However, the five-month waiting period may be waived if you previously qualified for SSDI benefits.
Though these standards may seem straightforward, only 30.4% of those who applied for SSDI in 2022 received benefits. The following tips might increase your qualification chances:
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Keep proper medical records. Include paperwork of your treatments and doctor visits throughout the history of your disability. Continue to gather this information as you go through the application process to help prove your case.
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Demonstrate an effort to return to work. This includes following doctors’ orders, seeing specialists and trying new treatments when prescribed. The SSA wants to see that applicants are doing everything possible to reenter the workforce, even after they’ve applied for SSDI.
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Log into your Social Security account. See how many work credits you’ve earned by logging into your account. You generally need 40 work credits to qualify, with 20 credits earned in the last 10 years, ending in the year your disability started. However, credits can vary depending on your age.
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Consider getting a lawyer. A legal representative can help you keep up with deadlines and provide further advice to help you with your case. If you appoint an attorney, notify the SSA through Form SSA-1696 (Appointment of Representative form).
You can apply for SSDI benefits over the phone, at your local Social Security office or by filling out an application on the SSA website. Here are a few ways to streamline the process:
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Apply as soon as you become disabled and believe you are eligible to receive SSDI.
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Gather your information ahead of time. You’ll need: medical records and documentation of your treatments and physician visits; your Social Security number; and your past year’s W-2 and military discharge papers, if applicable.
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Prepare an account of your medical and work history so that the reviewer for your case can understand how your condition affects your ability to work.
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Keep a history of everyone you speak to during the process. If you can refer back to notes that include who you talked to, on what date, and about which part of your application, you’ll avoid missing key details that could keep your case from moving forward.
Can I receive SSDI and SSI?
How do other types of income impact my SSDI payments?
What if I don’t have enough work credits to be eligible for SSDI?
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