There are currently more than 8 million Americans that receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. Many of those recipients suffer from such serious health issues that they have little to no chance of ever seeing their benefits come to an end. Others will eventually get better and have their benefits taken away. Many of the individuals who receive SSD rely on their monthly benefits payments as the only source of income. This is why all recipients need to know what it is that could result in them losing their benefits.
Several factors could cause disability benefits to be terminated. An individual could lose them if they reached retirement age and started receiving Social Security retirement benefits, if they returned to work, were no longer be considered as disabled or exceeded the asset limit. These factors won’t alone keep an individual from receiving benefits, but they may have some impact on whether someone does.
An SSD recipient must continue to meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) strict definition of disability to continue being eligible for benefits. A recipient’s condition must have lasted at least 12 months to qualify for SSD. That same individual must also have a condition that is listed in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments and significantly impact their ability to do basic tasks such as sitting, standing, walking or remembering things. An individual’s condition must be expected to last more than 12 months or be considered terminal.
There is a difference between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
SSDI are earned benefits that are funded by individuals taking payroll deductions. The amount that a recipient receives varies depending on their age and the wages that they’ve earned. There’s no asset limit for SSDI. Even wealthy individuals can receive benefits.
SSI benefits are needs-based. The SSA expects you to demonstrate that you have limited income or assets if you want to be eligible to receive the standard monthly SSI payment of $771. That amount can be reduced based on a recipient’s income level.
It can be alarming for you to receive a letter in the mail from the SSA letting you know that your SSD benefits may be coming to an end. An attorney in Minneapolis can advise you how you might preserve your eligibility for benefits or requalify for them once they’ve been terminated here in Minnesota.