The Houston Social Security disability lawyers of the Duke Firm, PC are pleased to present the offerings by the Social Security Administration for the disabled, including Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program
The US Social Security Administration provides this program to US citizens who are cannot or are no longer able to work due to a disability that is expected to affect them for a minimum of one year or end in death. This program does not cover people with partial or short-term disabilities.
You should apply for SSDI as soon as you become disabled, as it can take three to five months for an application to be processed. Even then, you may find your application rejected, which will necessitate entering into an appeals process. Houston’s Duke Law Firm can help you resolve any Social Security claim dispute.
If you were ever employed and paid Social Security taxes, your family members may also be entitled to receive compensation. These include your spouse or unmarried child, if they meet certain criteria.
If you receive disability benefits for two years, you will be qualified to receive Medicare assistance. Medicare provides health insurance benefits to disabled persons under the age of 65, or to any person disabled by permanent kidney failure regardless of age.
Your Social Security disability benefits will begin arriving in the sixth full month following the date your disability began. As for the amount of your monthly benefit, that will be based on your average lifetime earnings. If you are uncertain what that may be, take a look at the estimated disability amount listed on the Social Security statement mailed to you each year. You may or may not have to pay taxes on these benefits, depending on the amount of income you receive outside of SSDI. Cost of living adjustments, changes in marital status, and other factors may affect the amount of SSDI you can continue to collect, or if you are still eligible for benefits at all. For full details, you should speak to a Social Security administrator.
Your benefits from SSDI continue so long as your disability does not improve and you are unable to work. However, initial determinations of your situation will be reviewed at regular intervals by SSA to confirm that there have been no improvements. You are also required by law to report if your medical condition improves, if a new determination is made that says you are able to work, or if you actively return to work.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program
The SSI program pays benefits to disabled adults and children with limited incomes and resources. The program also pays benefits to US citizens 65 years or older without disabilities but who meet certain financial limits. The program is funded by general tax revenues, not taxes paid into Social Security. It is intended to help the elderly, blind, and otherwise disabled people with limited or no incomes to purchase food, clothing and shelter.
You should apply right away for benefits, as the program does not pay benefits retroactively for the time period preceding your application. Application must be made in person, as a live interview is required. You have the legal right to bring an attorney with you to your appointment, such as a Houston lawyer from the Duke Firm.
In order to apply for SSI for yourself or your child, you and the child must meet certain age and disability requirements. Parents will receive benefits based on income and other criteria until the child turns 18, at which point a new determination will be made based on criteria for adults and payments will likely go directly to the child. It should be noted that while some states supplement the federal SSI benefit for children through their own programs, Texas does not.
SSI recipients may also qualify for additional benefits, including state-managed Medicaid assistance and food stamps. SSI benefits are normally paid on the first day of the month they are due following the month in which you become eligible for payments. For example, if your benefits are due in January, they are paid to you on January 1st.
There are many factors that affect the amount of SSI income you can expect to receive and whether or not those houston disability benefits fluctuate over time. You should contact one of the Houston-area Social Security Administration offices for complete details based on the specifics of your case. Should you require assistance applying for or appealing any decisions regarding SSDI or SSI, please contact the Houston Social Security attorneys at the Duke Firm at 888-314-5720, or use our web form.
