Types of Social Security Disability Benefits: Title 16 Benefits

There are two main types of Social Security Disability benefits. Social Security Administration refers to one as “Title 2,” and the second one is referred to as “Title 16.” The standard of proving disability is the same for both types of benefits, however the eligibility to qualify for each is quite different. You may apply for both types of benefits concurrently if you qualify. Therefore, this blog post will discuss the ins and outs of Title 16. The Social Security Administration explains, in its description of each program, that “Title 16 provides SSI payments to disabled individuals (including children under age 18) who have limited income and resources” (SSA Disability Evaluation). Essentially, Title 16 benefits eligibility is based on financial need. Unlike Title 2, there is no working requirement or work credits necessary to be eligible for Title 16 benefits. In fact, you could have never worked a day in your life and still qualify for Title 16 benefits. Instead, Title 16 eligibility focuses on income/assets that you have. To qualify for Title 16 benefits, you need to meet certain resource/asset requirements. When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits, you will be asked to list and disclose all assets. Assets include cash, bank accounts, land, vehicles, personal property, life insurance, and anything else that could be considered as income to cover necessary living expenses. To qualify for Title 16, all your assets need to be less than $2,000 for an individual and less than $3,000 for a married couple. Therefore, if you do not have a strong work history, it is important to work with an experienced law firm to determine whether you qualify for Social Security Benefits based on financial need.

Reference Link: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/general-info.htm#:~:text=Program%20Description&text=Title%20II%20provides%20for%20payment,disabled%20dependents%20of%20insured%20individuals.