What Are Work Credits?

Social Security Disability benefits are distributed, with very few exceptions, to adults who have had a working career before they became disabled. The recipient has to have worked for a minimal amount of time in order to be eligible; the time period is measured in blocks called “work credits.” The number of work credits you need in order to receive benefits depends on the age at which you became disabled. This system is based on the fact that each paycheck you have received has been tapped for a FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) contribution which funds Social Security and Medicare.

Typically, you need 40 work credits, 20 or which you’ve earned during the last 10 years before you became disabled.

Can you depend on disability payments when you need them?

Suffering an accident or illness that results in permanent disability is life-altering as well as traumatic. Most people are under the impression that here, in the United States of America, we can count on our government to help us when we become unable to support ourselves and our families. Unfortunately, while the Social Security Administration has a well-established program to provide benefits to workers who have become disabled, bureaucracy gets in the way of processing those benefits in a timely manner. As a result, more than 1 million Americans wait an average of almost 2 years (longer than some of them will live!) to get a hearing that will decide whether they are eligible for benefits.

Delays Built into the System

Most applicants for disability benefits are denied coverage at least once, so they will, almost certainly, spend time waiting, first for a rejection, and then for an appeals hearing.

Although recent efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”) in favor of what has been promised to be a better national healthcare system have failed to pass to date, some Arizonans are worried about the fall out that may follow any plan that cuts services. In particular, the 1.9 Million people covered by Arizona’s version of Medicaid – – the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”)—stand to lose a lot.

How will this affect those receiving or applying for disability benefits in Arizona?

The federal government offers two different Read More

Q: How long does it take to get a federal disability benefits appeal hearing date?

Getting it right the first time you are applying for Social Security disability benefits is critical because the appeals process for denials is excruciatingly-long and it’s getting longer each day.

The federal government offers two different disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) and Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”). Both require that an applicant meet the government’s definition of “disabled”, but the similarities end there.

To oversimplify a very complex topic, SSDI is a work-based program available to certain applicants who, in addition to meeting other qualifying criteria, previously worked and paid into the Social Security system through their payroll taxes for the requisite number of work years and work credits. In contrast, SSI awards do not require any work history, but are need-based and only available to those who, in addition to meeting other qualifying criteria, have extremely limited economic situations.

Q: Do I need Long-term Disability insurance if there is Social Security Disability insurance?

No one wants to think about becoming disabled and being unable to provide for yourself or your family financially, because the prospect is frightening and applying for long-term disability benefits is complicated. However, 1 in 4 people will suffer a long-term disability during their lifetime and the average length of a long-term disability is 2 1/2 years. Can any among us survive financially with medical bills and no income for 30 consecutive months?

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Q: If I win a Social Security Disability Insurance appeal, are my benefits retroactive?

If you thought that applying for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits was complicated and time-consuming, wait until you hear about what’s involved in appealing a SSDI or SSI denial in Arizona in the event your initial application is denied.

If you are unable to work, you may qualify for one of the federal government’s two disability benefits programs – – Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) or Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”). Both programs are different, but each requires the applicant to meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of “disabled” which is “suffering from a physical or mental impairment that prevents engaging in substantial gainful activities and that has lasted, or is expected to last, for 12 months or more or result in death.

Q: How will President Trump’s proposed budget affect Social Security disability benefits?

Federal safety net programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) and Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) and others can expect significant cuts and reforms if President Trump’s proposed budget passes in its current form, Social Security Disability lawyers warn.

The disability benefits legal experts are watching with interest for not only how the changes will impact those applying for SSDI disability benefits but also for any limitations on or cuts to the amounts of benefits disabled recipients are currently receiving.

The message from the top is “get a job, not a government handout”.

Q: Can my student loans be forgiven if I receive Social Security disability benefits?

Facing a disability is frightening. It could happen to any of us at any time through an illness or an injury. In addition to being painful, long-term disabilities are often accompanied by stress over providing for our families. Specifically, we worry about paying mounting bills for basic things like food and shelter and other bills like student loans.

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