Friday, December 8, 2023

Can I Qualify for Disability For Mental Illness?

What Mental Illnesses Qualify for Disability?

Any mental illness that makes it impossible for you to be able to work full time you from can qualify for disability. The most common mental illnesses that can qualify for disability are anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst many others.

The Blue Book is used by the Social Security Administration to establish guidelines for which conditions qualify a claimant for Social Security disability benefits.

Section 12 of the Blue Book deals with mental disorders, detailing which types of mental disorders can qualify you for benefits, and under what circumstances. There are many mental health conditions that qualify for disability. There are nine categories of mental disorders covered in the Blue Book. These include

Affective disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Autism and related disorders
Intellectual disabilities
Organic Mental Disorders
Personality disorders
Schizophrenia, paranoia, and psychotic disorders
Somatoform disorders
Substance addiction

If you suffer from any of these medical conditions you should first of all seek medical attention as a doctor’s report is important for proving that your mental condition is severe enough to qualify for disability benefits.

As well as your doctor’s report you will need to gather further evidence proving that your mental health is likely to stop you from working for at least 12 months as well as looking in the SSA’s Blue Book that lists of conditions that qualify for Social Security disability benefits.

There are several mental health conditions that can be found in the Blue Book’s list that include bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.

If you can meet the medical requirements the SSA will consider that your mental health is a disability and may approve your claim for disability benefits.

Each type of disorder is evaluated according to its own set of criteria. To qualify for benefits with that condition, you must be able to show that you meet the criteria or that the sum total of all of your disabling conditions is equivalent to the listed criteria or otherwise completely hinders you from engaging in any gainful activity.

Regardless of which type of mental health disability you are dealing with, you will need to be able to show that you are receiving and complying with treatment.

It is important that you continue to undergo treatment while you are in the process of claiming Social Security disability benefits. If you have a mental health condition and you think it will make it unable for you to work full time, then you may want to speak with a disability lawyer or disability advocate.

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Thursday, December 7, 2023

Social Security Disability

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

How long do I have to work to qualify for Disability?

California Disability Advocates

Specializing in Social Security Disability Claims

How long do I have to work to qualify for Disability?

The amount of years worked that is necessary to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age. Social Security quantifies your work history in terms of work credits. Typically, you will have needed to have worked 5 of the last 10 years to have enough work credits to quality for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Usually, you need 20 work credits earned in the last 10 years.

Working and Earning Work Credits

There is a chart available to understand how many work credits and years of work are required based on your age. In order to earn work credits, you need to work and pay into Social Security. In 2023, you must earn $1,410 to earn one work credit.

Younger workers can qualify for disability benefits with fewer work credits. If you become disabled before age 24, you must have earned 6 credits in the three years prior to the onset of your disability. If you become disabled between age 24 and 31, you need credits for half the time between age 21 and the onset of your disability. For example, if you become disabled at age 29, you would need four years of prior work, or 16 credits.

You will also need to have worked recently to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. If you worked in your youth but took off 6 years to raise a family, you will no longer qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Most SSDI recipients need to have worked recently, usually any 5 of the past 10 years.

If you have worked intermittently, but have earned income within the past couple of years, you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Qualifying When You Have Not Worked

If you haven't worked enough, there is still hope for your claim. You can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. These benefits are for people of all ages with a severe financial need. Rather than taking into consideration the of years worked and work credits, the SSA will look at your income and assets. If you are within the income limits, then you may will qualify for disability benefits.

Other Requirements for Disability

Once you establish if you have worked long enough for SSDI or if you are within the income limits for SSI, you will need to meet the medical requirements. These are the same for both SSI and SSDI.

To medically qualify, you will need to meet a Blue Book listing. The Blue Book is the guide used by the SSA to assess if someone is medically eligible for disability benefits. Within the Blue Book, you can find conditions that qualify for disability benefits and the requirements that need to be met for that specific condition.

This includes things like specific test results, doctors notes, medications, treatment options, etc. Look over the Blue Book with your doctor to make sure you medically qualify.

If you do not medically qualify, but are still unable to work due to the condition you are experiencing, there is still hope. You can request a residual functional capacity (RFC) form be completed by a doctor. This form will go over the disabling condition you are experiencing, your symptoms, and how they impact your work ability.

The RFC will demonstrate that you are unable to work in the field you have been trained to work in, and that there is no other work you can do because the condition you are experiencing. It will explain how long you can sit, stand, how much you can lift, your ability to understand, remember and complete tasks, etc.

How Many Years Do You Have to Work to Get Social Security?

How many years you have to work in order to get Social Security disability depends on your age and when your disability began. You normally need around 40 work credits in order to qualify for disability, with half of them being earned in 10 years before your disability began.

You also must have worked recently to qualify for SSDI benefits. If you worked when you were young and then stopped for 6 years to start and raise a family you won’t qualify for SSDI.

Most SSDI recipients are usually required to have worked recently, typically any 5 of the last 10 years.

Credits are calculated based on your total wages or income from self-employment income earned each year. The amount of earnings needed for one credit isn’t the same every year. In 2023, you earn one work credit for every $1,470 in earnings. You need to earn $5,880 to gain the maximum of four credits allowed for each year.

How Long Do You have to Be Off Work to Get Disability?

You need to be off work for at least 12 months in order to get disability. If you think you will be out of work for at least 12 months or more, you may be able to earn Social Security disability benefits.

You will have to provide sufficient evidence that you won’t be able to work for at least 12 months to qualify for SSDI benefits or SSI to avoid denied benefits. This is called the durational requirement. If the SSA doesn't believe your disability will last at least 12 months, you will be sent a "durational denial" letter. If you are only going to be disabled and unable to work for less than 12 months then you won’t qualify for SSDI benefits.

If you think you will only be out of work for less than 12 months, then you will not be able to qualify for Social Security disability.

In addition to the length of time you have been out of work in order to qualify for SSDI, your accrued work credits and age your disability needs to be listed in the SSA’s Blue Book. The SSA uses its Blue Book as a guide to assess if a person is medically eligible for disability benefits.

If your disability is listed you will need to provide evidence that proves the presence of it such as your doctor’s report, results of relevant medical test results and success of treatments used to relieve the symptoms of your disability.

Can You Get Disability If You Are Unemployed?

You can get disability if you are unemployed, however there is a limit for how long you have been out of work.

Generally, you need to have earned 20 work credits in the 10 years of working before your disability began. If you have enough work credits, even if you have been unemployed, you may still be able to get disability benefits.

Getting Help With Determining if You Worked Enough

Do you need help determining if you'll qualify for Social Security benefits? You should contact a Social Security attorney or disability advocate. He or she can evaluate your claim and help you start the application process. You can also learn more about your eligibility by filling out a free evaluation form today.

If you need help to file for Social Security Disability or Medical, please call us for free consultation.

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Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Is arthritis a disability?

Is arthritis a disability? Can you get disability for arthritis? And how severe does my arthritis have to be to get disability benefits?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) currently benefits millions of Americans and their families. However, many people who could benefit from the program are either unsure that they qualify or are intimidated by the process.

To see if your arthritis could qualify for disability, we must first understand how disabilities are evaluated.

What is Arthritis?

There are many types of arthritis that affect people all over the world. The two main forms of joint pain are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disorder that affects the lining of your joints. After some time, it can harm your joint ligament and bones resulting in stiffness and pain.

Osteoarthritis happens when ligaments in your joints wear out over time. Many people may wonder is arthritis a disability. Yes. Arthritis can prompt incapacity, as can numerous other mental and physical conditions that qualify for disability.

If your arthritis confines your daily movements, or activities you may qualify for disability benefits.

Your level of disability depends on the daily activities you find troublesome. For illustration, you'll have trouble:

walking up stairs
walking for an extended period of time
standing or sitting
grasping small objects
lifting 10 pounds or more
holding your arms up
Is Arthritis A Disability?
Yes, arthritis is considered a disability by the Social Security Administration. If you are unable to work because of your arthritis, you may qualify for disability benefits.

How Arthritis Can Cause Joint Dysfunction

If you are out of work for at least 12 months, you get get disability with arthritis.jpegArthritis can cause your joints to encounter major dysfunction due to distortions such as misalignments, shortening of the joint or persistent pain and firmness.

In case your condition has expanded to a dysfunction in any of your joints, you should qualify for benefits.

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What Conditions Automatically Qualify You For Disability?

You have probably heard that being approved for disability benefits can be challenging. The process can also be time consuming which leaves many people wondering and worrying about what to do for income while waiting for disability. Documentation is the key to a successful claim. There are a lot of medical conditions, however, that do qualify for expedited approval. Some conditions automatically qualify for disability benefits if you have a confirmed diagnosis. There are a few conditions that warrant such approvals.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs two disability benefits programs that are application-based and offer financial assistance to people who have a medical condition (i.e., a disability) that prevents them from working. These two programs are Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

The best way to tell which medical conditions automatically qualify you for Social Security disability is to consult the compassionate allowances list. This list has over 200 conditions so it is important to view it. If your condition is on the list, it is likely that your application process will be expedited.

Some conditions that automatically qualify you for disability include:

Cancers (advanced stages)
Cardiovascular system disorders (chronic heart failure)
Neurological disorders (ALS, multiple sclerosis)
Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
Musculoskeletal system (spinal disorders)
Organ transplantation
Parkinson's
Visual disorders (blindness)
A claim because of one of these conditions will get expedited attention, which means you might get a decision within a month of applying.

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Ignorance is bliss.. or is it?

Friday, December 8, 2023

Can I Qualify for Disability For Mental Illness?

Can I Qualify for Disability For Mental Illness?

What Mental Illnesses Qualify for Disability?