While filing for disability, some claimants decide to pursue a college degree.
There are some good reasons for this. It’s something many people put off while working, and it’s easier than ever to get a degree now that many classes are online.
The good news is that Social Security does not have any explicit regulations that state that someone who is going to school full or part-time cannot collect disability benefits. However, it can certainly make it more difficult to qualify for disability benefits.
While going to school and working are two different activities, Social Security may use the fact that you are going to school as evidence that there are jobs that you can perform.
For example, if you are seeking disability benefits for a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, Social Security looks closely at your ability to concentrate and interact with other people. Even attending school part-time can potentially show that these mental health impairments have little impact on your ability to work.
Similarly, if you are claiming disability due to chronic pain, regularly attending school can put into question an argument that you would miss too much work due to this condition.
Another issue that sometimes comes into play is that some individuals enroll in degree programs after they are approved for benefits. If Social Security then conducts a review of your case, this again can be considered evidence that your condition has improved and might result in your benefits being terminated, so its important to discuss with an attorney how attending school can impact your case.
