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Posts Tagged ‘Supplemental Security Income’

Disability is something that most people do not like to ponder on, as it has markings of unfavorable outcomes to one’s life and existence.

However, the chances that one will become disabled are probably greater than one can expect. You may become vulnerable to suffer from crippling injuries leading to your being disabled especially at this present time.

To aggravate this, according to some studies, a 20-year-old worker has a 3 in 10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.

Alarming, is not it? This is something that the public should take concern of because of the greater potential of being the subject of disability.

With this concern, it would be worthy to learn basic information about Disability Welfare Benefits that the government has disposed for the public’s benefit. 

In addition, knowing these benefits is relevant, especially since American workers have paid part of their paycheck into these disability welfare insurance.

United States Disability Welfare Benefits

Several Federal Disability Welfare Benefits have been waged by the government intended for use of the disabled. These benefits have been categorized according to its subject and purpose. All of them were designed as disability welfare for all qualified disabled persons.

To name some of these benefits is worth illuminating, thus:

•    Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) held under the Social Security Administration (SSA)

•    Disability welfare for the veterans, held by the United States Veterans Affairs

•    Housing benefits for people living with disabilities, held by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

•    Disability welfare for workingmen with disability, as held by the Department of Labor

•    Another resource for workingmen’s disability benefits, available and sanctioned by the American Association of People with Disabilities

From the foregoing enumeration, the most and highly invoked disability benefits come from the SSDI and SSI held under the SSA and workingmen’s disability benefits administered by the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Thus, this article will discuss and illuminate in these areas.

Two main Federal Welfare Benefits

SSI and SSDI

Those covered under the Federal disability transfer policy are the SSDI and SSI. These benefits are limited to the group of individuals with disabilities who are unable to perform any substantial gainful activity.

To be entitled for these benefits, the SSA follows a common health-based disability eligibility criterion, applicable as to both, quoting “the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity, by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that is expected to result in death or last at least 12 months”.

Both the SSDI and SSI are administered by the SSA and the same adheres to the strict definition of disability. There are however apparent variance between the programs in terms of its goals and other remaining eligibility criteria.

ADA, Employment protection

A broader group of individuals with disabilities, including those who are able to work in the labor market are covered under the Employment protection policy provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). 

This federal welfare benefit requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to workers with disabilities unless it would cause undue hardship on the operation of their business.

Our competent disability lawyers can give you sound advice and assistance to your queries on Social Security disability benefits. Log on to our website to get the fullest attention you deserve.

What is Disability Insurance?

“The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration and only individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.”

- Social Security web site, June 2006

The Social Security office will want to check your medical history to be sure you qualify for disability benefits. The Social Security office is one way to get disability benefits, but in most cases these benefits will not be substantial enough for families.

Disability insurance can be obtained through any number of insurance companies. In the event that you are disabled, this insurance will serve as financial protection. You will receive a percentage of your gross income from your disability insurance policy, income that will ensure your own financial safety.

You do not have to go through the Social Security Office to take out a disability insurance policy, nor to receive the benefits from that policy. The Social Security disability program is not related to any disability insurance policy that you take out.

“Individual disability insurance is truly a basic concept. It is an insurance product designed to replace anywhere from 45-60% of your gross income on a tax-free basis should a sickness or illness prevent you from earning an income in your occupation. Every disability insurance policy from every insurance company is very different, this is not a product to simply shop for the most competitive rate. To buy the cheapest disability insurance policy on the market is to throw money away. The odds of getting paid a monthly benefit under a cheap contract may be significantly lower than receiving benefits from a quality contract.”

- About Disability Insurance web site, June 2006

Types of Disability Insurance

Most people are familiar with two types of disability insurance: short-term disability, and long-term disability. Short-term disability insurance is included as part of a benefits package with many different employers, and usually provides an income in the early part of disability. Short-term disability insurance generally provides coverage for a period of several weeks, and does not exceed a two-year term.

Long-term disability, however, can last for a period of several years. These types of policies may be included as a part of employment, in a benefits package, but many purchase these disability insurance policies individually.

As far as disability insurance goes, however, there are still more policies to learn about. One type of disability insurance is the Own-Occupation Disability Insurance. The definition of this policy reads:

“The inability to perform the material and substantial duties of your regular occupation, the insurance company will consider your occupation to be the occupation you are engaged in at the time you become disabled, they will pay the claim even if you are working in some other capacity.”

Another kind of disability insurance is the Income Replacement Insurance. This is a very popular type of disability insurance, and most insurance agents are familiar with this policy. The language of this type of disability insurance reads:

“Because of sickness or injury you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your occupation, and are not engaged in any other occupation.”

Common in employee benefits packages, Gainful Occupation Coverage is another popular form of disability insurance. The language here is worded very carefully:

“Because of sickness or injury you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties or your occupation, or any occupation for which you are deemed reasonably qualified by education, training, or experience.”