Social Security Awards SSD and SSI Benefits For Severe Impairments
Social Security manages two disability programs in which monetary monthly disability benefits are payable to individuals with severe impairments. If an individual is found to be disabled and unable to perform substantial and gainful work activity following a medical evaluation by the state disability agency in a particular state (in most states, this is known as DDS, or disability determination services), they may be entitled to receive monthly benefits from one, or both, of the Social Security administration's disability programs.
Social Security disability is based upon an individual’s insured status that is attained through their wages, which are reported yearly to the Internal Revenue Service. Social Security disability monetary benefit amounts are also based upon how much an individual has earned prior to the onset of the disabling condition. Additionally, some Social Security disability applicants have worked enough prior to becoming disabled that there is money available to pay their dependents a monthly benefit as well.
Supplemental Security Income Disability is based upon need rather than insured status; consequently it is subject to resource (assets) limitations, on top of income limitations. There is a cap on the monthly benefit payable for SSI and there is no money available to pay dependents (in other words, if you receive SSI disability, your minor-age children will not be able to receive a monthly benefit unless they also qualify for disability independently on their own).
There are some individuals who are entitled to both SSI and Social Security disability benefits simultaneously in what are known as concurrent cases. These beneficiaries, who receive benefits from both programs, receive no more than the monthly SSI benefit amount. It simply means that their Social Security disability monthly benefit was so low that it did not exceed the SSI limit. Most disability beneficiaries who receive benefits concurrently, i.e. from both disability programs, have nothing payable to their dependents either.
Individuals who receive disability benefits from either of the Social Security administration's disability programs rarely have as much money coming into their households as they had when they were working. Social Security disability benefit amounts are like the benefit amounts of most disability programs, because they are not meant to completely replace an individual’s earnings. Perhaps the thought process is that those who become able to perform work activity will pursue that course rather than stay on Social Security disability or SSI.
One question that arises often in the minds of individuals who are filing for disability, or considering filing, is how bad must their condition be in order to qualify for disability?
Any condition, or combination of conditions, for which disability benefits are principally awarded must be severe. And there are instances in which claimants will be denied on the basis of having an NSI, or non-severe impairment.
However, severe and non-severe, in this context, are fairly arbitrary terms. How does SSA define non-severe? Simply as the following: "An impairment or combination of impairments is not severe if it does not significantly limit your physical or mental ability to do basic work activities". Even in this definition, a certain amount of subjectivity exists, the result being that relatively few impairments are judged by disability examiners as non-severe.
Having said that, however, most adjudicators would probably agree that a disability application filed on the basis of a hangnail should be denied on the basis of an NSI, while a claim in which the primary and perhaps only allegation was "headaches" would probably not be subject to such classification. Subjectivity is part and parcel of the process.
As was stated, fairly few disability cases are denied on the basis of a non-severe impairment simply because so many impairments, even those that sound relatively benign, carry with them some potential for causing functional limitations. What really plays into the social security disability process...is not whether or not a condition is severe, but, rather, how severe (and, consequently, how limiting) the condition may be.
In most instances, a claimant's alleged impairments will be accepted, and considered, as severe. Will they be considered severe enough to result in an awarding of disability benefits? If the medical evidence can satisfactorily point out to an adjudicator (a disability examiner or a disability judge) that the condition causes functional limitations of the sort that--
A) makes a return to past work not possible and
B) rules out the ability to engage in some form of other work,
--then the allegations will be considered "severe enough" to result in an awarding of benefits; provided, of course, that the claimant is not engaged in substantial and gainful work activity for the periods under consideration.
Return to:
Social Security Disability Secrets
Social Security Disability Benefit Questions
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When I apply for social security disability what kinds of questions will they ask?
What Should you do to Apply for Social Security Disability?
Can I work and apply for social security disability or SSI?
If I Win My Disability Benefits, When Do My Benefits Start?
How to Claim Disability Benefits
Can social security disability be taken or seized for child support?
Social security disability insurance benefits
What happens if social security disability denies a claim?
How to apply for social security disability and applying for SSI
Social Security disability is based upon an individual’s insured status that is attained through their wages, which are reported yearly to the Internal Revenue Service. Social Security disability monetary benefit amounts are also based upon how much an individual has earned prior to the onset of the disabling condition. Additionally, some Social Security disability applicants have worked enough prior to becoming disabled that there is money available to pay their dependents a monthly benefit as well.
Supplemental Security Income Disability is based upon need rather than insured status; consequently it is subject to resource (assets) limitations, on top of income limitations. There is a cap on the monthly benefit payable for SSI and there is no money available to pay dependents (in other words, if you receive SSI disability, your minor-age children will not be able to receive a monthly benefit unless they also qualify for disability independently on their own).
There are some individuals who are entitled to both SSI and Social Security disability benefits simultaneously in what are known as concurrent cases. These beneficiaries, who receive benefits from both programs, receive no more than the monthly SSI benefit amount. It simply means that their Social Security disability monthly benefit was so low that it did not exceed the SSI limit. Most disability beneficiaries who receive benefits concurrently, i.e. from both disability programs, have nothing payable to their dependents either.
Individuals who receive disability benefits from either of the Social Security administration's disability programs rarely have as much money coming into their households as they had when they were working. Social Security disability benefit amounts are like the benefit amounts of most disability programs, because they are not meant to completely replace an individual’s earnings. Perhaps the thought process is that those who become able to perform work activity will pursue that course rather than stay on Social Security disability or SSI.
One question that arises often in the minds of individuals who are filing for disability, or considering filing, is how bad must their condition be in order to qualify for disability?
Any condition, or combination of conditions, for which disability benefits are principally awarded must be severe. And there are instances in which claimants will be denied on the basis of having an NSI, or non-severe impairment.
However, severe and non-severe, in this context, are fairly arbitrary terms. How does SSA define non-severe? Simply as the following: "An impairment or combination of impairments is not severe if it does not significantly limit your physical or mental ability to do basic work activities". Even in this definition, a certain amount of subjectivity exists, the result being that relatively few impairments are judged by disability examiners as non-severe.
Having said that, however, most adjudicators would probably agree that a disability application filed on the basis of a hangnail should be denied on the basis of an NSI, while a claim in which the primary and perhaps only allegation was "headaches" would probably not be subject to such classification. Subjectivity is part and parcel of the process.
As was stated, fairly few disability cases are denied on the basis of a non-severe impairment simply because so many impairments, even those that sound relatively benign, carry with them some potential for causing functional limitations. What really plays into the social security disability process...is not whether or not a condition is severe, but, rather, how severe (and, consequently, how limiting) the condition may be.
In most instances, a claimant's alleged impairments will be accepted, and considered, as severe. Will they be considered severe enough to result in an awarding of disability benefits? If the medical evidence can satisfactorily point out to an adjudicator (a disability examiner or a disability judge) that the condition causes functional limitations of the sort that--
A) makes a return to past work not possible and
B) rules out the ability to engage in some form of other work,
--then the allegations will be considered "severe enough" to result in an awarding of benefits; provided, of course, that the claimant is not engaged in substantial and gainful work activity for the periods under consideration.
Return to:
Other Posts
When I apply for social security disability what kinds of questions will they ask?
What Should you do to Apply for Social Security Disability?
Can I work and apply for social security disability or SSI?
If I Win My Disability Benefits, When Do My Benefits Start?
How to Claim Disability Benefits
Can social security disability be taken or seized for child support?
Social security disability insurance benefits
What happens if social security disability denies a claim?
How to apply for social security disability and applying for SSI
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