Greenville SSDI Benefits
Under the Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) program, you may be entitled to monthly benefits if you meet certain requirements. First, you must be disabled and unable to work as per the Social Security definition of disability.
Next, you must have earned sufficient work credits within a required time period in order to qualify for Greenville SSDI benefits. In some cases, certain dependent family members also may be entitled to benefits based on your disability. Call a seasoned SSDI attorney to learn more about the benefits that could be available to you.
Defining Disability Under SSDI Benefits
SSDI benefits are only available for individuals who are totally and completely disabled. There are no benefits available through this program for individuals who are partially or temporarily disabled.
To qualify for Greenville SSDI benefits, individuals must have one or more medical conditions that are:
- Severe
- Cause an inability to engage in any substantial gainful work activities
- Have lasted, or expected to last, for at least one year or result in death
The Social Security Administration (SSA) automatically considers some medical conditions to be sufficiently severe and disabling if they meet what is referred to as an impairment listing.
If individuals’ medical conditions do not meet a listing, SSA still could find them to be disabled for the purposes of Greenville SSDI benefits. In this situation, SSA officials consider whether the medical conditions prevent individuals from doing any of their past work.
If SSA officials determine that these medical conditions do prevent someone from doing their past work, then they will consider whether the person can perform other types of work, based on age, education, past work experience, and transferable work skills. A finding by SSA officials that a person’s medical conditions prevent them from performing any substantial gainful work activities will result in a determination that they meet the Social Security definition of disability.
Work Credits and SSDI Benefits in Greenville
The other major requirement that individuals must meet in order to qualify for Greenville SSDI benefits is related to their work history and earnings. Workers must generally earn 40 work credits in order to be eligible for SSDI benefits and they must have earned 20 of those credits over the 10 years before and including the year that they became disabled. There are some exceptions to these rules for workers who become disabled at a young age.
Individuals must earn $1,320 in 2018 to qualify for one work credit for the purposes of Social Security. The amount of earnings necessary to earn a work credit increases slightly each year, but people generally can earn up to four work credits per year toward their Social Security earnings.
Wages, salaries, and self-employment income all can contribute to individuals’ work credits. However, there are some jobs that do not allow you to earn work credits and some jobs for which work credits are calculated differently. A dedicated attorney could help you determine whether or not you meet the work credit requirement.
For those who steadily work throughout their lives, it is likely that they will earn more than 40 work credits. These work credits remain on individuals’ work histories, even if they switch jobs or are unemployed for some time. Additional work credits do not increase the amount of SSDI benefits in Greenville that these individuals will receive if they become disabled. The amount of a person’s overall earnings is what determines how much SSDI benefits they will receive on a monthly basis.
Get Needed Advice About Greenville SSDI Benefits
For most people with little or no experience with the Social Security system, determining whether you are eligible for Greenville SSDI benefits can be difficult.
Although your local SSA office may be able to provide you with some technical assistance, you also may need legal advice to help you determine whether you meet all of the qualifications for SSDI benefits. Contact an experienced Greenville SSDI benefits attorney today, and you may be able to get a clearer picture of your eligibility for these disability benefits.
