Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a disability program designed for individuals with a disability that prevents them from performing a gainful activity and those with a demonstrated financial need. In some cases, those over 65 years old may also qualify for SSI even if they are not entirely disabled according to the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s definition of total disability.

For individuals under 65 years of age, you must establish the fact that you are both completely disabled and that you do not have adequate means of support to qualify for SSI benefits. This means proving that your disability makes it impossible for you to perform any gainful activity, including both work which you have done before and any work for which you could otherwise be trained.

Qualifying For SSI – Be Sure of Your Eligibility before Applying.

To qualify financially for SSI eligibility Florida, you cannot have more than $2,000 worth of total countable assets (and if you are married, you may jointly have up to $3,000 as assets). Countable assets are basically anything of value which you own except for the home which you live in and one vehicle. Your assets include such things as money in savings and checking accounts, IRAs and other retirement accounts, the cash value in life insurance policies, vehicles (other than one vehicle for transportation), and virtually anything else of significant value.

If you are both disabled as per the SSA definition and can demonstrate your financial requirement (insufficient or no income and less than $2,000 in assets), you may qualify for SSI.

If you have worked during the past ten years, you should look into applying for SSDI and Supplement Security Income Eligibility in Florida. Some people qualify for both. The main difference between these two programs is that SSDI is an insurance program designed for those who had been working before getting disabled. SSI is also for disabled persons but is particularly for those who have demonstrated a financial need. If you are disabled, you may qualify for Disability, whether you have worked in recent years or not.

The best time to file for SSI is immediate once you realize you may have a disability which is likely to last more than a year. You should also apply if you have a disability, which is expected to lead to your death, especially if it is expected to be terminal within the next year.

Proving Disability in an SSDI Claim

Proving Social Security Disability claims is a complex procedure that involves documenting the effects of the disability, collecting medical records, obtaining physician opinions, and a lot more. In each case, the Social Security Administration (SSA) looks for specific evidence (depending on the disability claimed) to demonstrate eligibility for benefits. When applying for disability benefits, an experienced SSI Lawyers in Florida can make sure your application includes all the evidence the SSA is looking for, help you document your case, and significantly increase your chances for receiving the benefits that you deserve.

Things to note down about disability benefits

Many people get confused by the differences between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social Security Lawyers in Florida tell you about the requisites and other vital features about Social Security Disability Benefits. You need qualifying disability and work history with sufficient quarters of credited work to qualify as “Insured.”

The resources and income which can impact the benefits awarded for Social security disability claims include only job-related pay, worker’s compensation, and other federal disability benefits. However, there’s no limit on resources like savings, investment income, and gifts, etc.

These benefits are available to insured workers, qualifying spouses, and children of the disabled.

Disabled adult children of a disabled, deceased, or retired parent if the disabled adult child’s disability commenced before age 22.

Disabled widows and widowers between the ages of 50 and 60, and the disability commenced within seven years of the worker’s death.

Defining SSI Income and Resources

The SSA is very strict about your “income” amount. Income is considered any money you gather from wages, pensions, and other benefits. Your income cut-offs will vary state by state.

By comparison, the SSA determines “resources” to be anything you own, such as cash, real estate, stocks, and bonds. When applying for Supplemental Security Income as an individual, you may have $2,000 in resources. A couple may have as much as $3,000.

The SSA will not consider everything that you own as “resources”. In fact, your residence is not included. Small life insurance policies are not included.

A Supplemental Security Income Attorney will help you sift through all your details. With the help of a top social security expert, you can quickly meet income and resources requirements. If you need assistance throughout your SSI claim, hiring one of the experienced SSI lawyers is vital.

Determining Supplemental Security Income Eligibility

Although the Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the SSI program, it is not funded by Social Security taxes. Rather, U.S. Treasury general funds cover the payments each SSI beneficiary receives.

In order to qualify for SSI, an applicant must demonstrate a general lack of wealth and means. However, an applicant must also be:

65 years old or older

Blind

Disabled

Non-adults may also be eligible for Supplemental Security Income Benefits. If a child is blind or disabled, he or she must have parents who are limited in resources or income. If all of these requirements are met, that child may be eligible to receive important benefits. However, it is important to note that an SSI recipient’s dependents or survivors are not entitled to dependents benefits.

The baseline amount for benefits is uniform across the nation. Nonetheless, each state varies in the amount added to this baseline amount. Some states may offer substantial increases to the baseline benefit.

A Supplemental Security Income Lawyer can help you evaluate your likelihood of receiving these benefits. With assistance of SSI lawyers, you can effectively prove to the SSA that you are only making a minimal amount. Without an attorney, you may make errors on your application, leading to the denial of SSI payments.

In Florida, at the law offices of Berke Law Firm, P.A., our team directs its practice on cases involving disability applications for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or (SSI) Supplemental Security Income Florida or denials of either.

With the extensive experience of Disability Lawyers and their understanding of disability claims, they help minimize frustration and improve applicants’ chances for attaining the benefits.

Our legal team will travel an extra mile to get the benefits you deserve for your loss.