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Recently, I went to the SSA office to apply for disability benefits. As it turned out, I applied for two different benefits, SSD and SSI. What is the difference in the two benefit programs?
As you stated, there are two benefit programs you may apply for at the Social Security office, Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplement Security Income.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD or SSDI) are benefits SSD pays to you if you cannot work due to a medical condition that will be expected to last for at least one year or result in death. SSD is a program that is financed through the taxes paid by you as a worker and your employer(s) contributions. SSD payments are based on your past history of earnings. The amount of money you will receive is based on what you made as an insured worker. To be eligible to collect from SSD, you must have earned sufficient credits based on your work earnings to be qualified as “insured.” A "Social Security credit" is a measurement of how much you made and contributed while you were working. The number of credits you will need to qualify for disability benefits will depend how old you were when you became disabled. For the most part, you will need to have earned 20 credits in the last 10 years prior to becoming disabled. The younger you are, the fewer credits you may need to have earned.
If you have earned enough credits to qualify for SSD, the SSA will then analyze your case based on five factors to decide if you are disabled. The first factor is whether or not you are working now. If you are, then you cannot be deemed disabled. If you are not, then the analysis proceeds to the second step. Is your medical condition severe? A severe medical condition will allow you to receive benefits. If the SSA determines that your medical condition is not severe, it proceeds to the third step. The third step is to determine if your medical condition meets a “Listing if Impairments.” The Listing of Impairments describes different medical conditions and the symptoms or characteristics of each. If you fit those symptoms or characteristics you will be found disabled. If you do not, then the SSA continues on to a fourth step to determine if you are able to perform the jobs you had in the past. If you can, then you are not disabled. If you cannot, then the analysis reaches a fifth and final step. At the last step, the SSA determines if there is any other job that you could perform despite your medical condition. If there is, then you are not disabled. If there is not, you will qualify for benefits.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are payments from Social Security based on your financial need. SSI is a program that is financed through general revenues. To be eligible to receive benefits from this program, you must have limited income resources, and meet certain living arrangement requirements. Living arrangements refer to where you are living, who you are living with and how much you must contribute to the household. The monthly amount you will receive will vary. Ohio may supplement this amount, or the amount may be decreased based on income or other resources such as money in bank accounts, stocks or other assets. You may be eligible to receive SSI in addition to SSD benefits if the amount of your SSD benefits is low enough.
Should you have any questions regarding social security benefits, or if you would like to consult with an attorney, please contact our office.