Disability Insurance Benefits
Disability insurance benefits are financial aid and support offered by Social Security to individuals and families with lowered incomes due to a disability. Employers may also offer disability insurance to employees. Disability insurance benefits ensure that disabled persons and their families may continue to receive an income based on the amount of time and earnings of the disabled person before he or she became disabled.
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Benefits
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Disability insurance benefits do not entirely replace the previous income of the disabled worker. The disabled individual and his or her family will have to learn to budget and live on a lower monthly income. Employer disability insurance plans often pay as much as 60% of the disabled worker's previous income, but Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is different. SSDI benefit amounts depend on many factors because two programs help to administer the benefits: Social Security Disability and Social Security Insurance (SSI).
Qualification
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Tto qualify for disability insurance benefits, a disabled worker must qualify according to the work history requirements set by his or her employer or by Social Security. Employers may require disabled workers to work a minimum of 5 years before they are eligible for benefits; however, the work year minimum may be higher.
SSDI benefits depend on the span of time worked at any taxable employer for a certain amount of years. For example, in a span of 10 years, disabled persons must have worked about 5 years. For workers younger than age 24 years, Social Security qualifications are similar. All qualification for benefits depends on amount of time worked before the disability.
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Time Frame
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Applying for disability insurance is the beginning of a lengthy process. Do not fall victim to the misconception that signing up for Social Security Disability on one day means you will be eligible for benefits the next day. The official website of the Social Security Administration v advise that individuals apply for benefits as soon as possible after a disability because it will take a long time to complete the process and start receiving benefits. The process takes an average of four months before benefits start arriving to disabled persons and their families.
Application Process
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Immediately after the disability, individuals may apply at the Social Security website, at a local Social Security office, or over the phone. An attorney is not required to initiate the application process, but an individual is welcome hire one. After the application is submitted, the disabled individual will have to play the all too familiar waiting game. The state's Bureau of Disability Determination will review the application and request medical records from the individual's physicians and review all files to determine if the individual may receive disability insurance benefits or not.
Additional Programs
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Other disability insurance programs may be eligible for widows of disabled individuals, young children and adult children of disabled persons, persons born with disabilities, and children with disabilities. Whether applying for Social Security Disability benefits or disability insurance benefits offered elsewhere, local Social Security offices or lawyers can assist individuals in finding the best insurance policy or program for their needs.
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