Many individuals who consider applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are put off by the fact that, in order to collect disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires that they prove they are totally disabled.
However, what these individuals may not realize is that Social Security's definition of disability is not necessarily that of society at large. You do not have to be blind, in a wheelchair, or in a catatonic state to be eligible for SSD or SSI benefits.
The SSA considers your disability to be total and complete if you can demonstrate that you suffer from a severe impairment that prevents you from being able to earn at least $1,000 per month (this is the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level for nonblind individuals). And you must also show that your symptoms are not likely to improve, even with prescription medicine, physical therapy, or psychiatric counseling, enough to allow you to earn the SGA for at least 12 months.
The Social Security disability system does appear, at least on the surface, to have a more flexible definition of total disability than one would expect. A person earning around or just above the minimum wage could be working part time and be able to get disability benefits. The system even takes into consideration an individual's education level, past work experience, and age when deciding if a person can be expected to earn more than $1,000 per month.
Learn more about how the SSA decides if you are totally disabled.
