Continue reading to learn whether your SSDI benefits will increase if your condition worsens or becomes more limiting and how an experienced New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur can get you the relief you desperately need.
Will my SSDI benefits increase if my condition worsens?
The short answer is no, your SSDI benefits will not increase if your condition worsens or becomes more limiting. To elaborate further, the SSA initially approved your benefits application because it concurred that you are fully disabled. This is per its observed definition of a disability, which is an illness or injury that prevents you from doing most work for at least 12 months, or that is expected to result in death. And so, your worsening condition most definitely still meets this minimum criteria.
Further, your SSDI benefits amount is based solely on your earnings from your employment history. In other words, it has nothing to do with the severity of your condition, but rather assimilates to the retirement benefit you would have received at full retirement age. The one thing that your worsening condition can influence, though, is how quickly your benefits application gets approved. That is, you may be eligible to claim a Compassionate Allowance or Quick Disability Determination to fast-track your first benefits payment.
In a contrasting scenario, say that your condition improves. This may be to the point that you can resume participation in gainful employment activity. Well, if the SSA determines this in one of its routine Continuing Disability Reviews, the distribution of your SSDI benefits may stop altogether. However, it may not take this harsh action before you engage in a Trial Work Period to truly ensure your condition has gotten better enough to handle this work activity.
What happens to SSI benefits if my condition becomes aggravated?
We regret to inform you that the same concept applies to Social Security Insurance (SSI) benefits. Even though this is a need-based benefits program, the “need” is based on your household finances, not your current health condition. A silver lining, though, is that your SSI benefits may increase if your income decreases. For example, your income may reduce or end because you cannot return to work, given your aggravated condition.
On the flip side, though, your aggravated condition can also work to lessen your monthly SSI benefits. This is if you can no longer live in your own residence and therefore no longer solely support yourself for food, shelter, and other basic needs. But rather, you must move into a nursing home facility, full-time and for the long term. At this time, Medicaid may be paying for over half of your care.
We understand that you may not want to deal with any of this right now, but it must be addressed for the sake of your physical, emotional, and financial well-being. So please allow a skilled New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer from The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur to make this legal process less burdensome for you overall. We will be happy to help and give you much-needed relief.
