Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility

Last updated 1 year ago

Unfortunately, injuries and illnesses that cause permanent disability are quite common. According to the Social Security Administration, three out of every 10 twenty-year-old workers will become disabled at some point during their lives. Continue reading to understand who is eligible for government disability benefits and how a Social Security Disability attorney can help you file a claim.

Who can receive disability benefits?
To qualify for disability payments, a worker must suffer from a health condition that renders him or her unable to work for at least a year, or that will eventually result in death. Certain dependents of the disabled person may also be eligible for benefits to reflect the fact that the claimant can no longer support them due to inability to work.

What are the eligibility requirements for disability?
Not everyone with a serious health condition qualifies for federal disability assistance. To qualify, applicants must meet two tests: the “recent work” test and the “duration of work” test.

Recent work: This test measures how much the applicant worked in a certain interval directly before becoming disabled. These intervals and work requirements depend on his or her age: If the applicant is under 24, he or she must have worked a year and a half of the last three years before illness. If the claimant is over 24 but under 31, he or she must have worked three years of the previous six. If over 31, he or she must have worked five years of the last 10.
Duration of work: This test is based on how much time you have spent in the workforce overall, up to the time of your disability. There is no clear rule of calculation for this test, but the Social Security Administration keeps a table of this information. The range of years of work needed to pass this test ranges from 1.5 years if a worker is under age 28 at the time of his or her illness, to 9.5 years if the claimant is 60 years of age.

If you are suffering from a serious illness, disability payments can be vital for your family’s financial security. For legal counsel regarding your possible eligibility for federal disability benefits, call Knollmeyer Law Office at (501) 985-1760.

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