Residents of Massachusetts who cannot work or gain employment owing to a disability, for at least twelve months, can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the program administered by Social Security Administration (SSA).
The SSA offers a comprehensive benefits screening tool for people to check their eligibility for these programs. Social Security disability benefits are offered to those under the program from their own payroll deductions as stipulated by Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). The benefits include retirement, along with benefits for spouses and related survivors. The funds also go towards the Disability Insurance Trust Fund for regular disability benefit payments. A good SSDI Attorney in MA can help you make successful claims in this regard.
Eligibility for the SSDI program in MA
To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, a person should have completed a certain duration in a job that covers Social Security. A person with a disability can apply for the program if he or she has achieved 40 credits, 20 in the last 10 years, including the current year of disability. The program covers only people who fulfill the clauses of medical conditions meeting Social Security’s definition of disability. Do hire a good SSDI lawyer to help you address the questions perfectly before the application itself.
After the application of the program, Disability Determination Services (DDS), which is a Massachusetts state agency, decides on disability claims. Some of the evaluation questions include:
- Are you working currently and if you are, do your earnings average $1,220+ in the current year? If it is in the affirmative, you will not receive benefits as per the program. If the income falls below SGA limits, one can move forward to the next question.
- Is your disability condition “severe”? If they determine that the condition does impede work-related activities, they are not considered for the program. If it does, the next question will be asked.
- Is your condition one of the specified disabling conditions under the SSDI program? The conditions mentioned in the Social security program lead to automatic qualification. Else, they will determine the severity by themselves. If they find it severe, they will proceed to the next question.
- Can you do tasks as part of the work you did previously? If the condition does not impede your performance on the same tasks, you won’t be considered disabled. Else, they will proceed to the next question.
- Can you fulfill other work types? Social Security will determine whether you can work elsewhere other than your previous job. If they determine you can, considering your age, health, and qualification, you will not be considered disabled leading to denial in claims. If you are perceived that you cannot adjust, your claim is sure to get approval.
An SSDI attorney in MA can certainly help the claim be approved in your favor and will even help in answering qualifying conditions in an ideal manner.
What do you need?
For the application process, you need:
- Social Security number
- Medical records from every source
- Laboratory and health test results
- Names, addresses, and other details of family doctors and hospitals
- Names of current medications
- Names of employers and job duties performed for a decade or more
- For children’s claims, you also need school records about their disability.
Where to Apply for SSDI benefits
- You can apply for disability benefits online with the SSA
- You can call the SSA at (800) 772-1213 to file claims or contact the local office
- Visit the local Social Security office after making an appointment
How Much Will My Payments Be?
SSDI payments will be dependent on FICA taxes when employed.
If you qualify for SSDI, you will be eligible for federal Medicare and you can also apply for Massachusetts’s Medicaid program until you get enrolled with Medicare.
For more details or for filing appeals about disability claims, you do need a competent Social Security Disability Attorney in MA. Requesting “reconsideration” from DDS takes a long time and then a hearing with the Social Security judge takes nearly a year. The SSDI lawyer can speed up that process by presenting strong arguments for your cause.
(855) 254-7841
(855) 254-7841
