APPLYING FOR SOCIAL
SECURITY BENEFITS
THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
SSD AND
SSI
While there are two
common disability
programs for adults –
Social Security Disability
(SSD) and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) –
many people don’t know
the difference. First and
foremost, the disability
criteria for evaluating
each claim is the same
under both programs
administered by the
Social Security
Administration. SSD and
SSI are both designed to
support disabled
individuals with a
monetary amount as well
as a form of insurance,
however, the technical
criteria that initially define
eligibility are completely
different.
On one hand, SSD Benefits
are available to those who
have worked for a
prolonged period in the
past, accumulating “work
credits” as a basis for the
funds they will receive
under this program. SSI
benefits, on the other
hand, are available to
disabled individuals with
little or no income who
have not earned enough
work credits to qualify for
SSD (or were a low-wage
earner, potentially
allowing eligibility for
both programs). In order
to qualify for SSI, you
must have a very limited
income and assets — not
more than $2000 for an
individual and not more
than $3,000 for a married
couple. Whereas your
spouse’s income will not
affect your SSD benefits, it
can interfere with
obtaining SSI benefits.
WHY HAVING
REPRESENTATION IS
ESSENTIAL
As you probably know,
navigating government
bureaucracy can be both
tedious and frustrating.
When you are doing so as
a means of obtaining
funds and support to help
sustain you and your
family, the convoluted
steps involved in the
process can add
unnecessary stress. This is
where having an
experienced,
compassionate disability
advocate on your side can
make all the difference.
At Georgoulis Disability
Group, we have committed
ourselves to making this
process easier for you
even if you have applied
before. Once you become
our client, we will clarify
in simple terms what you
can expect, obtain all
necessary medical and
supportive evidence, as
well as stand up for you in
your dealings with the
government. We
understand how much is at
stake for you and your
loved ones and we will
fight tirelessly for you to
obtain the benefits you
deserve. Our mission is
clear – every client
matters – and we take
that position seriously.
HOW SSD AND SSI
ARE FUNDED
SSD is funded through
payroll taxes. All workers
make contributions,
deducted from their
paychecks to the Social
Security trust fund as part
of the FICA Social Security
taxes. In order to be
eligible for SSD,
candidates must be, with
rare exceptions: between
the ages of 18 and 65 and
to have earned the
requisite number of work
credits during their
working years. Once the
disabled individual has
been receiving SSD for
two years, he or she
becomes eligible for
Medicare. Also, working to
your advantage if you’re
applying of SSI, once you
qualify for benefits you
will receive retroactive
payments back to the time
you first became disabled
depending on how soon
you file your application.
The benefit amount each
month will be based on
your previous earnings
record and are, therefore,
specific to each person. In
addition to the monthly
amount and potential back-
pay awarded, recipients
may also receive Medicare
coverage once awarded
SSD.SSI, unlike SSD, is
funded by general taxes
rather than from the Social
Security trust fund. Those
who qualify for SSI are
usually eligible for
Medicaid and food stamps
as well. While it may take
months to receive your
first SSI check, you may
receive retroactive
payments as far back as
the month after your SSI
application was submitted.
FILING FOR BENEFITS
There are a number of
ways to file for SSD or SSI
benefits. You can go to one
of the SSA offices local to
you, by telephone (at
800-772-1213), and online
(at ssa.gov). An
experienced disability
advocate in Michigan,
familiar with what is
required, can help you
navigate the process from
start to finish so that you
don’t have to worry about
missing critical paperwork
or deadlines. One of our
skilled representatives,
who specialize in disability
benefits, can assist you in
preparing and submitting
your application so that
you enter the process
confident and calm. Many
people trying to handle
this procedure on their
own only to experience the
extreme inconvenience of
having to return to the
SSA office on another day
because they are missing
a required piece of
information or for more
details that could have
been avoided. Much of the
information you will have
to present includes details
about the condition that
has disabled you. This
means you will have to
submit your medical or
psychiatric diagnosis, a
list of doctors who have
treated you (along with
their contact information),
hospitals and clinics you
have visited, prescribed
medications you are
taking, and any other
relevant medical data.
Additionally, for SSD and
SSI, you may have to
provide records of
income-producing work
you have done, such as
pay stubs and tax forms.
Having a disability
advocate with you along
the way can alleviate the
stress of compiling
evidence as well as
communicating with the
government in following-
up on your claim.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO
RECEIVE BOTH SSD AND
SSI AT THE SAME TIME?
In some situations, it is
possible to receive both
SSD and SSI
simultaneously — a
process commonly referred
to as “concurrent benefits.”
To receive concurrent
benefits, you must be
approved for SSD with a
low monthly benefit
amount and determined to
still be in need of further
public assistance under
the criteria established for
SSI outlined above. In
some cases, even higher
wage earners whose SSD
amount is too high to
allow for monthly SSI
payments, may be entitled
to SSI payments for a
period of time in the
past – referred to as
retroactive pay or back-
pay during a time they
were considered disabled.
An experienced disability
advocate, well-versed in
the differences between
the two programs, can
help you understand your
circumstances to
maximize what you may be
entitled to so that you
don’t lose out on benefits
owed to you.
BENEFITS YOU DESERVE
At Georgoulis Disability
Group, our entire staff is
welcoming and supportive.
We always take your
concerns seriously and
respond promptly to your
questions and updates.
No one should feel alone
in seeking assistance
needed and deserved,
especially with so much
at stake. We are available
to help answer your
questions about the
process and help you at
every stage.
CONTACT