SSDI benefits may help those with serious impairments

Individuals with disabilities in Pennsylvania have the challenge of not only overcoming their barriers but also of convincing other people that these barriers in no way define them. Fortunately, Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, helps to alleviate some of the financial stress associated with no longer being able to work due to a disability. The disability can be either physical or mental.

SSDI is the Social Security program that is probably the most misunderstood. Some individuals think that recipients of SSDI have not worked before and thus are trying to take advantage of the system by getting money for seemingly minor impairments. However, SSDI is actually an earned benefit; it currently helps millions of people who are disabled.

People who qualify for disability insurance benefits must have worked long enough to pay into this system and essentially be insured. In addition, Social Security features some of the world’s strictest requirements for getting disability benefits. In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, an individual must have an impairment that is expected to last more than a year or lead to death. The person must also not have the ability to perform substantial work. Today’s SDDI benefits some of the nation’s most impaired workers, and they depend heavily on these benefits.

Sometimes individuals’ SSDI claims end up being denied in Pennsylvania. This can have an adverse impact on the individuals’ families, particularly if their families are highly dependent on their incomes. An understanding of related laws may help people with serious disabilities to get the SSDI benefits to which they are entitled.

Source:  azcentral.com, “Social Security disability helps people who work“, Kimberly Yellow Robe, Sept. 10, 2015