FAQs about SSD and SSI

The elderly, the blind and other disabled people are eligible to apply for SSI.

No. Your eligibility for this type of program is not dependent on your work history or how much Social Security tax you have paid into the system.

Yes, though there are restrictions regarding how much in benefits you will be entitled to receive. Our lawyers can help ensure you retain your rights to the maximum amount of benefits in each program under law.

Yes, a representative and advocate can help you with every part of the process, including all of the paperwork and appearing with you at any meetings or hearings.

We can help you with this, including making sure you account for all jobs, changes in pay, stop working dates, start working dates, or payments received from someone else you are living with.

You must have worked long enough in a job that is covered by Social Security and you must have a disability that qualifies under the administration guidelines. We can help you determine if you meet both these factors.

A work credit is equivalent to a certain amount of wages for a given year. You must earn four of these credits per year.

The number of work credits you need to qualify for disability benefits generally depends on the age at which you became disabled. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the past 10 years, ending with the year you became disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

Generally, most people’s initial applications are denied. We can help you with the subsequent appeals process. It will consist of a reconsideration stage as well as a stage that involves a hearing before an administrative law judge. There are two more appeal stages — an appeals council and appearing in federal court — after that. We have experience pursuing appeals at all levels.

We know exactly what the SSA is looking for when evaluating an SSD application or appeal. We know how to cut through the red tape, gather essential documentation and persuasively advocate on your behalf. Also, our fees are dictated by federal law, so we recover only a small percentage if you are awarded benefits, and we are not paid unless we are successful in your petition for benefits.