Social Security Disability Benefits
Social Secutity Disability Benefits (SSDIB) are monthly cash
benefits paid to disabled persons who are covered by Security Disabilty
Insurance. To qualify for SSDIB you must be "disabled" according
to Social Security's rules and you must have kept your disabilty
insurance premiums "paid up" at least through the date you became disabled. You
pay your disability insurance premiums when you have FICA withheld from your
wages or by paying self-employment tax. If you have worked for FICA wages or
paid self-employment taxes for 20 of the last 40 quarters before you became
disabled (approximately 5 of the last 10 years) you will have "paid up" disability insurance.
The amount of money you will actually get from SSDIB
depends on the amount of money you paid into Social Security. The more you have
paid the higher your monthly benefit. Benefits are adjusted each year for
inflation. Some people who get SSDIB can also get SSI because their SSDIB
payments are below the federal guaranteed amount for disabled persons. After you
receive 24 months of SSDIB payments you automatically qualify for
Medicare.
| SSI Benefits
SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. SSI is a monthly
cash payment from the federal government. Congress set up SSI to
help the poor. To qualify for SSI you must be blind, disabled (according to the
Social Secutity Rules) or over 65 and also pass a financial need
test. If you qualifiy for SSI the federal government will make monthly
payments to you that will bring your total income (including other income) up
to a guaranteed level ($564 per month in 2004). This guaranteed level is
adjusted each year for inflation. In most states a person who receives $1 of SSI
will automatically qualify for Medicaid.
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