Disability benefits can be tremendously helpful for disabled individuals concerned about covering the daily costs of their lives. Disabled individuals may have many questions about these important benefits, how they work and how to obtain them. Social Security disability is a federally funded program that is administered by the Social Security Administration. It is a program that workers pay into.
Social Security disability benefits may be available to disabled individuals and certain members of their family if the disabled individual has worked long enough to qualify for benefits. Provided that the applicant meets the work history requirements, additional medical requirements are also necessary to meet to qualify for receipt of benefits. Disabled individuals must also suffer from a physical or mental medical condition that is severe enough to prevent them from working that is also expected to last for 12 months or longer or result in death.
Unfortunately, disability related to the workplace or otherwise is not as uncommon as some may think. A 20-year-old worker has a 25 percent chance of becoming disabled and unable to work prior to reaching retirement age. To meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability, applicants can consult the list of impairments the Social Security Administration keeps. Even if the medical condition the disabled individual suffers from is not on the list, they may still be able to qualify for disability benefits.
It is helpful for disabled individuals and their families to know how to navigate the application process for disability benefits even if the medical condition they suffer from is not on the list of impairments. It can be a complicated process, but the benefits are important enough that disabled individuals and families should educate themselves concerning the process.
