SSDI : Do You Have to Be Declared Unable to Work in Order to Collect It?

Here is a link to one person's personal story with links to other key websites.

http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/ssdi.htm

Yes, you have to be unable to work for at least 12 months to receive SSD. That does not mean you have to wait 12 months before you apply. As soon as you & your doctors know your disability will last at least 12 months, call Social Security and ask for the appropriate forms for SSD, for someone UNDER the age of 65. I got on disability when I was 32.

You have to fill out forms, and your doctors will have to fill out forms, too. When everything is all filled out, mail the package in to them. (Keep a copy of everything you send them.)

Then you will wait a while for them to send you a letter. This letter will tell you when your appointment is, and where you have to go, to be seen by their doctors. That will be a tiring day. Get there earlier than the time they tell you to be there. It can be very crowded. Many people are given the same appointment time. Then when you get there, you sign in, and you're seen in the order of who got there first.

After you are seen by their doctors, you just have to wait several more months until you hear from them. When you finally do, you will receive a check retroactive to the day you were too disabled to work. There will be a letter telling you how much you will receive each month. Hold on to that letter permanently!

If your doctors told them you are permanently disabled/unable to work, they will do an update about every 7 years or so. All you have to do is fill out a short form, and they will decide if they want new info from your doctors (they don't ask mine). If you are disabled with a chance of recovery, they will do an update every 1 to 3 years.

The key point about receiving SSD is that you must be unable to work. Just because a person is disabled doesn't necessarily make them unable to work. I know many people who are disabled and still work.

You are able to earn a small amount of money each month, even if you are on SSD. When I started getting SSD, they told me I could earn up to $375 a month & still receive my SSD checks. Any more than $375 and they would stop my checks. Unfortunately, there was no way I could do anything.

The only age-specific requirement is that you must be over 18 years old. You also have to have had a job.

I hope this has been helpful to you.

Good luck.

It is kind of weird you have to be declared totally disabled and unable to work but then after you get on it you can go out and get a part time job for more income!

Now if you dont have the work credits and have to be on SSI you are penalized by having a part time job and can not earn much at all before you lose all or most of your benifits!

Just seems a little weird!

Yes, you have to have documentation from more than one doctor stating you are disabled and can't work at all. If you use to do physical work but can at a desk for 4-8 hrs a day and work, then you aren't totally disabled.

As for age requuirements, you have to be over 18 and have to have worked prior to you becoming disabled. Even if you only worked a few weeks.

I get ssdi but I can have a PART-TIME job. I can get up to a certain amount gross from my job because of my mental disablility. It states that I can't work around people for a long period of time so part-time is perfect for me but unfortunately I don't know about the age thing.

I did have to submit a letter to that effect, just to apply for SSDI. It took almost two years, and a lot of hassle, but it was finally granted in Dec. I was 39 at the time.

Contact the Social Security Administration. They will give you the information that you need. Many of the answers above are inncorrect or only partially correct.

No it has to be prov-en by a doctor, maybe more than one. If you have been working it is SS you would be filing for.

IF you are trying to set up a fake disability; then you can end up in jail.

There is a complete application process you must go through in order to be eligible for SSI benefits. It includes several evaluations by the government's doctors and examiners to determine the severity and extent of your "disability". You cannot just go to your doctor and have them sign a statement, it isn't that simple. You must be examined by who they tell you to be examined by and it is up to their doctors to make the final decision. It is sometimes a long and drawn out process that takes several weeks or months so be sure you have another means of supporting yourself before you start getting benefits because it could be while.

a doctor has to declare that you are unable to work.