What You Should Know About Social Security Benefits

Can people that are only partially disabled apply for Social Security Benefits?

Unlike other programs, the Social Security Administration has clearly defined rules governing the granting of Social Security benefits. The SSA will Social Security benefits only to people with total disability. People who only have cases of partial disability or short term disability are not eligible for Social Security benefits.

Physicians have pronounced my condition incurable so why is there a need to keep seeing doctors?

Even if you are suffering from a condition that doctors have deemed untreatable, you should still keep seeing a doctor in order to avail of medications that may help alleviate any symptoms or pain that you are experiencing. And if you continue to receive Social Security benefits, you should continue to see your doctor because Social Security will periodically review your claim to deem if you are still disabled or not. If you have not been seeing a doctor on an ongoing basis Social Security could use this against to you to state that you must not be disabled anymore.

I am able to work but not at what I used to nor can I earn the same money I used to. Can I still file for SS benefits?

Social Security benefits are granted under certain conditions. Foremost of these is the extent of your disability as defined by the Social Security Administration. Under SSA rules, you are classified as disabled if you cannot work in the same job as before, and your condition prevents you from working at another job. You are also classified as disabled if your illness or condition is anticipated to last for a year or if you are expected to die from your condition.

Social Security is designed to work on the principle that members can rely on family members to support them during their illness or that they have other sources of income. These sources could be anything from sickness or injury benefits from work to personal insurance and savings.

The Social Security Administration has an extensive list of medical conditions that is used to determine if the person is eligible to receive benefits or not. If your particular illness or condition is not on the list, the Social Security Administration will decide on your claim based on the seriousness of your condition.

If you cannot work in the same job that you had before and you cannot work at any other job, you will be able to avail of Social Security benefits.