As of April 2024, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reported over 7.3 million individuals receive monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits payments. Though this may seem significant, this number only accounts for a small portion of Americans. Further, this small portion of individuals must have met strict eligibility requirements to participate in this government assistance program. With that being said, please continue reading to learn the required criteria for SSDI benefits and how an experienced attorney in SSDI eligibility in New Jersey, at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur, can help prove you meet them.
What required criteria do I need to meet for SSDI benefits?
Primarily, you must have an eligible physical condition or mental condition to apply for SSDI benefits in the first place. Of note, the SSA provides a full list of eligible medical conditions on its website, which is generally updated yearly. So if you see your condition on the list, you may proceed with your application. Speaking of your medical condition, it must be expected to last for at least a full year, or even one that is likely to result in death.
Then, you must have participated in the United States workforce long enough to reap the benefits of the SSDI program. Similarly, you must have been employed rather recently to qualify.
What evidence do I need to prove I meet these criteria?
Firstly, you may need evidence to prove that you have a medical condition that makes you eligible for SSDI benefits. This may be accomplished with the proof your medical provider submits to the SSA, including your past test results and blood work, operative reports, and other relevant medical records. With this, you may also need to establish your disability onset date, to confirm that your medical condition is a long-term issue. In turn, demonstrating this may allow you to receive up to 12 months of back pay from the SSA. Again, your medical evidence may help backtrack to this date.
Secondly, you may need to prove that you participated in gainful employment long enough and recently enough. This may be proven by completing and submitting a duration of work test and a recent work test alongside your SSDI benefits application. Namely, the duration of work test calculates whether you worked the minimum number of years, based on your age, to qualify. Then, the recent work test calculates whether you earned the minimum number of work credits from paying Social Security taxes while working; and how much of that work you have done recently, based on the time you incurred your disability.
At any rate, please contact a skilled New Jersey SSDI attorney today. We, at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur, look forward to your phone call.