The Social Security Administration does a pretty good job of educating the public on the fact that SSD benefits are available for those who qualify. However, there are certain aspects of both the application process and the benefits themselves that are still unknown to most people. For instance, as a recent article noted, an individual who is applying for Social Security Disability benefits needs to have been an active participant in the workforce for a set amount of time. A close look at an applicant’s work history is a crucial part of the Social Security Administration’s evaluation process when determining whether or not the applicant is qualified to receive SSD benefits.
Next, many people do not know the SSA requirements on what exactly constitutes a disability for benefits purposes. Determining disability is also a key part of the application process, and the burden is, for the most part, on the applicant to supply the Social Security Administration with the medical documentation necessary to make the determination.
Lastly, many of our Los Angeles readers may not know that the amount a person receives in SSD benefits each month is directly tied to that person’s participation in the workforce. Your amount of yearly earnings will play a part in how much the monthly SSD benefits will be.
Many people may believe that they are qualified for SSD benefits just by recalling what they have heard about the program before, but the reality is that there may be many different small things that could play a big role in the application process. For Los Angeles residents who may be thinking about applying for SSD benefits, it may be a good idea to get the most comprehensive information about the requirements and the application process itself.
Source: Daily Finance, “4 Things Everyone Must Know About Social Security Disability,” Dan Caplinger, Sept. 25, 2014
