Skip to main content

IS SSI THE SAME AS SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY?

 SSI and SSDI are different programs, however, both are administered through the US Social Security Administration.  Thus, they are often confused.

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)

SSDI is based on earnings and having payroll taxes deducted from those earnings.  Persons who have earned sufficient work credits may apply for SSDI if they become unable to work due to a medical condition that has lasted or is expected to last 12 straight months or more--or is expected to end in death. A qualifying claimant may get SSDI benefits even if they have wealth or high family income. Persons who have never worked, or who have not recently worked, may not be able to get SSDI even if they are severely disabled.

SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

  • Is based on financial need + disability or advanced age--not on earnings.
  • Requires no work history and no payroll tax withholding.
  • Requires that an individual be disabled or elderly (65 or above).
  • Is for individuals with very restricted incomes and financial resources.

The maximum benefit for SSDI can be  up to $3,358 per month.  But the federal maximum benefit for SSI for 2022 is $841 per month but may be less, depending on household income, property, living arrangements and other factors. In short, the less need a person has, the lower the benefit will be.

The medical disability requirement is basically the same for both SSDI and SSI.  However, the financial restrictions of SSI do not apply to SSDI applicants.

   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

IS IT HARD TO GET SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY IN TENNESSEE?

  How hard is it to get Social Security disability (SSDI) in Tennessee? It can be very difficult.  In the beginning stages of the process, it seems like the agency is out to deny as many claims as possible.  Later--in the appeals process--it takes more technical and legal skill to move through the labyrinth of obstacles. What's the usual reason for an SSDI denial? If you look at all the denial letters, the most comm on reason given is:  You are not disabled according to our rules. The 2 main explanation for finding claimants not disabled are: 1.  You are able to perform some of your past relevant work. 2.  You can't perform any of your past work but you are able to do other work. Those are the two "catch all" reasons Social Security gives for nearly all of their denials.  Both of these reasons fall into the category of a medical denial .  The claimant's condition is not deemed severe enough to prevent all work. There are other reasons for d...
Post a Comment
Read more

WHAT YOU WILL BE ASKED AT A DISABILITY HEARING

Most Social Security disability claims will be denied twice:  First at the end of the Application process, and again after the "Reconsideration" process.  The third stop will be a hearing before a federal Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). It is here at the hearing level that most SSDI claims are paid.  So, what do you need to know about your Social Security disability hearing?     First, the judge will follow the rules established by the Social Security Administration.  His or her job is to determine whether you meet the particular laws and rules to receive disability payments.  So, it is a legal proceeding where you must prove certain things in order to get paid. Among the things you must prove:  Your insured status with Social Security:  You have worked recently enough and paid into the Social Security trust fund to gain the required "work credits" to support your claim.  You have a severe medical or mental impairment supported by adequa...
Post a Comment
Read more

CAN YOU WIN YOUR DISABILITY APPEAL WITHOUT A LAWYER?

The Social Security Administration does not require you to have a lawyer to file an appeal or to appear at a hearing.  However, most people heading for a disability hearing will hire a lawyer or advocate to help them.   Studies have shown that you are about twice as likely to win with a lawyer.  A recent study found that claimants with no lawyer win about 30 percent of the time while claimants with a lawyer or advocate win 60 percent of the time.   " He just cooked his own goose." These statistics cover only one aspect of a disability appear--your odds of winning. The other important aspects are time and convenience. If you prepare and adjudicate your own disability appeal, expect to spend 12 to 24 months working on the case.  You will be collecting, reading and submitting hundreds or thousands of pages of medical records.  These records are complex and often difficult to understand.  And you must know how each medical record helps (or hurts) your dis...
Post a Comment
Read more