HOW "WORK CREDITS" AFFECT DISABILITY BENEFITS

To be "insured" or covered by Social Security disability, most individuals need to have worked and built up "work credits" or "Quarters of Coverage." The number of credits needed depends on the claimant's age.

It is possible to earn up to 4 credits per calendar year--one credit for each calendar quarter.

In 2021, a worker earns one work credit by earning $1,400 in a calendar quarter. However, a person may only earn 4 work credits in one calendar year.

So, how many credits will you need to be covered under Social Security disability insurance?

• If a person has not yet reached the age of 24 at the time of becoming disabled, he or she may qualify if he or she earned six credits in the last three years.

• If a person is age 31 or older, he or she needs at least 20 credits earned over the last 10 years to meet this SSDI qualification. (Worked 5 years out of the past 10 years).

• Other age-related and specific case-related details could affect the necessary number of credits.

If an individual has never worked, it is not possible to get SSDI benefits under his/her own work record. They might still qualify as a surviving widow or widower, or as a dependent under some other worker's earnings.

Social Security has a different program called "Supplemental Security Income" or SSI, which requires no work credits. However, SSI is for individuals who are aged or disabled and have very limited financial means. A claimant for SSI must meet both the financial restrictions and the medical definition of "disability" under the government's rules. The maximum current SSI benefit in Alabama (2021) is $794 per month. The benefit may be less based on financial assets, income or living arrangements. Certain accommodations like free housing (someone else provides a place to live rent-free) can reduce SSI benefits. For persons living together, the income/resources of both individuals usually count when determining the SSI benefit.

If you are considering a disability (SSDI) claim, it is wise to contact your local Social Security office and ask if you have built up enough work credits to be covered. Specifically, you should ask "What is my Date Last Insured" (DLI)? This date tells you when your SSDI coverage expired or will expire in future. For example: Your DLI is 12/31/24. This means that you can file a new SSDI claim before 12/31/24. Unless you work again, you will not have SSDI insurance to cover a new claim after 12/31/24. This applies only to filing a new claim. It has nothing to do with benefits you are already receiving.

The Social Security regulations are complex and often confusing. One of the most difficult things about getting approved for SSDI is proving that you are disabled according to the government's rules and regulations, even if you have sufficient work credits. There is a large number of professionals called attorneys or "advocates" who specialize in helping claimants get approved for disability benefits. Statistics suggest that a claimant who uses one of these professionals is about 3 times as likely to be approved as someone who tries it on their own (unrepresented).

Any one of these professionals should offer you:

1. A free consultation with no obligation, and

2. A Contingency fee agreement where you pay only if you win and receive past due benefits.

The Forsythe Firm provides both of these services. Call (256) 503-8151.