Applying for SSI Benefits. Do You Qualify?

Qualify for SSI Benefits

Many disabled workers understand that Social Security Disability benefits should be there for them if they suffer from a condition that prevents them from performing substantial gainful work activity. What many people don't know is that there are actually two different types of disability benefits offered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). When an individual is determined to be disabled by the SSA and they have earned enough work credits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits kick in. What happens, however, when an individual is unable to obtain SSDI benefits due to a lack of work credits or if their SSDI payments are not enough to make ends meet? In cases such as these, SSI benefits may be the answer. The following information will help you understand how to qualify for SSI payments.

Determining Whether or Not a Disability Exists

In order to qualify for Supplement Security Income payments, you must be found to be disabled by the SSA. The SSA publishes a “Blue Book” of medical listings detailing the criteria required to qualify for disability benefits as a result of a disabling condition. If your disability meets one of these published medical listings and the criteria set forth in that listing, you will likely qualify for SSI disability benefits. If, however, your condition is not included in the SSA's Blue Book you will need to prove that your condition meets the criteria of one of these listings or that it results in a complete inability to work due to the limitations placed on you.

If You Are Not Disabled

If you are not disabled, you may still qualify for SSI payments. Individuals who are over the age of 65 may also qualify for Supplemental Security Income benefits if their income and assets are below the threshold set forth by the SSA.

Income and Asset Limits

Unlike SSDI benefits, you do not need a certain number of work credits to qualify for SSI payments. The SSI program is a needs-based program. As such, you will have to prove that your assets and household income are below a certain threshold in order to qualify for these payments from the SSA.

In order to qualify for SSI payments, you must not own more than $2,000 in assets (excluding the home in which you live and one vehicle with a market value of $4,500 or less). If you are married, this asset level increases to $3,000. Your income must also be below the acceptable SSI thresholds, which will vary depending on your particular living situation and the state in which you live.

If you meet the income limits and asset limits that have been established by the SSA and if you are determined to be disabled or are over the age of 65, you may qualify for monthly SSI payments.

In some cases, an individual who receives SSDI payments may also receive SSI payments if the SSDI payments received by the applicant are their sole source of income and are below the income limits set forth by the SSA.

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The national denial rate is quite high at 65%, one big reason for this is that many people do not get representation until they have been denied. 

Many lawyers are partly to blame for this since it is very common for someone looking for a lawyer at application level for their SSDI or SSI claim to be told to "apply and call back when you are denied". Some lawyers(not all) do this because an attorney's fee is based on past due benefits and if the lawyer wins a case at application they feel the fee does not cover the work involved in handling a case at this level.

This approach should be avoided because it is very important that the case be handled properly from the beginning, not only to assure you have the best chance to win at application, but also to ensure that an application that was not properly done does not come back to haunt you at a later stage in the process. Approval rates are much higher at the initial application level.