WHAT MAKES YOU A CANDIDATE for SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY?

To be a candidate for Social Security disability, you must meet the following criteria:

• You have an impairment that significantly limits your ability to work.

• This impairment must last or be expected to last for at least 12 straight months.

• You must have earned sufficient work credits; most people need to have worked at least 5 years out of the past 10 years to have enough credits.

• To prove disability there must be current and adequate medical records to show the severity, duration and past medical treatment for your impairments.

Social Security looks at the claimant's age, education and past work experience in deciding whether he/she is disabled. Claimants age 50 and over have a clear advantage. Those with a long, stable work history may also have an advantage.

In our experience, the most difficult cases involve claimants who are well educated, under age 50 or have a sporadic work history. If an individual has not worked within the past 60 months he/she will not have sufficient work credits to support an SSDI claim under Title 2.

That being said, any claimant who is under full retirement age might be approved for Social Security disability under some circumstances.

THIS POST IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION AND IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE.