Work History and SSDI: What You Need to Know
As a Memphis disability lawyer, I know a lot of people apply for disability without really knowing what the application requires. In particular, work history plays an important part in your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claim.
Understanding how work history and SSDI relate to each other will help you understand whether or not you’re insured.
How SSDI and Work History Impact Each Other
Social Security Disability is an insurance plan you pay into as you work. So the years you’ve worked and the amount you made show how much you’ve paid into the system, or how insured you are.
In order to receive Social Security Disability, you need to have worked long enough or be paid enough based on your income to be considered currently and fully insured.
Fortunately, that usually doesn’t mean you need decades of employment or a large sum of money. It does mean you will need to prove some work experience so the SSA knows you qualify.
Getting Enough Work Credits
The SSA offers credits based on what you earn. The numbers changes annually as the average wage increases. They’re based on your total income, whether through your employer or self-employed.
You’re limited to four credits per year. And along with that, you need anywhere from 20-40 income credits to qualify for SSDI, depending on your age at the time you became disabled.
Lastly, you have to have earned those credits within the last ten years at the time of your application.
This is fairly complicated math, but to figure out your status, you can check the rules here. And our attorneys can also help.
Memphis SSDI Lawyer for Your Disability Claim
If you apply for SSDI and are denied, you aren’t alone. Sometimes your work history can play a part, and sometimes you might have just left out a little information that would otherwise prove your claim.
Our experienced Memphis SSDI team can help you figure out where the gaps might be in your original application and help you appeal the original denial.
We treat all our clients with compassion and respect, and we don’t win anything unless you do. Even then, it’s only a small fraction of your past-due benefits: you keep everything moving forward.
You only have 60 days after denial to appeal. So contact us today. Just use the form below, or give us a call at 901-327-2100.