Phone: (901) 525-2525
Fax: (901) 525-2526
Q : How does the Social Security Administration define a disability?
A : A disability is defined as the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months. The disability must be medically certified. Some illnesses or handicaps are so serious that the Social Security Administration automatically treats them as disabilities, such as severe epilepsy or blindness; SSA has a list of such impairments. If you believe you are disabled but your impairment is not on the list, you will have to prove that it is just as severe and disabling as the ones on the list.
Q : If I become disabled, how long may I get benefits?
A : Once you qualify for disability benefits, they will continue for as long as you remain medically disabled and unable to work. Your health will be reviewed periodically to determine your ability to return to work.
Q : What about my family?
A : If you are disabled, your unmarried children under age eighteen (or nineteen, if still in high school full time) may be eligible for benefits from social security. In addition, unmarried children over eighteen who are themselves disabled will also be eligible. If your spouse is caring for a child who is either under sixteen or disabled, he or she may be eligible, as is a spouse who is sixty-two or older. In some cases the disabled widow or widower or the divorced spouse of a deceased worker may become eligible for disability benefits. Check with your local Social Security Administration for specific eligibility requirements.
Q : What if I am under sixty-five and become disabled? Am I entitled to benefits from social security?
A : Yes. Social security protects all workers under sixty-five against loss of earnings due to disability. However, you must meet certain strict requirements for the number of years employed, the age at which you became disabled, and the severity of your disability.
Q : I have virtually no money. I don't qualify for regular social security or disability benefits. Can social security help me anyway?
A : The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to persons who are aged (sixty-five or over), disabled, or blind and who have very limited income and personal property. The SSI program is run by the Social Security Administration. However, it is supported with income tax dollars rather than social security taxes on workers' wages.
SSI benefits are not large and the eligibility requirements are strict. You must have very little income and own very little property. If you think you qualify, check with your local Social Security Administration office. One of the benefits of getting even a dollar in SSI is that in most states you become eligible for free medical care through Medicaid.
To apply you will need your social security number, proof of age, and a wide variety of financial information. You'll want to have a record of your mortgage and property taxes, records of your utility costs and food costs, payroll slips, income tax returns, bank books and insurance policies.
If you are applying because of disability or blindness, you will also need copies of your medical records. Be sure to have the names and addresses of physicians who have treated you and hospitals where you have been a patient. If you have worked with a social service agency, give the name of a worker who knows you.
Q : I think my elderly father is eligible for SSI, but he is much too ill and confused to visit an office or complete an application. How can he receive benefits?
A : If you know someone who should be receiving SSI benefits but can't apply for himself, you can do it for him. However, you will still need to bring all the information described above.
Q : If I am declared ineligible for SSI, are there any benefits I might be eligible for?
A : Yes. Even if you are not eligible for SSI, you may be able to have your Medicare premiums, deductible, and co-payments paid for you, depending on the amount of your income and assets.
Q : If I am denied benefits, can I appeal?
A : Yes, the appeals process is essentially identical to appealing a social security claim, as described above.