When Do My SSI Benefits Start?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides additional income support to disabled individuals. If you qualify for SSI benefits, then your benefits will start immediately as soon as you are approved.
Read on for more information about SSI benefits.
How Do I Qualify for SSI?
SSI benefits are for the elderly over age 65, people with disabilities, and the blind. Beneficiaries must be in financial need and cannot have more than $2,000 in assets (your car and home are excluded). You can use the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool to check whether you qualify.
If you are seeking SSI benefits for a disability, then you will need to qualify just as you qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. See more below.
Am I Sufficiently Disabled?
To qualify for SSI benefits as a disabled person, you need to meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of long-term disability:
- Your disability is likely to last for more than a year or result in your death.
- You must be unable to perform any of the work that you have done in the past.
- You must be incapable of being reasonably trained and accommodated to do available work in your area.
If you were approved for SSDI benefits, then you should have the medical information already to show that you are sufficiently disabled. If you are applying for SSI along with SSDI, then you should consult with an attorney who will help you build the case that you need to obtain benefits.
Different criteria apply if a disabled child is applying for SSI benefits. In fact, children can qualify for several conditions that would not qualify an adult.
How Do I Apply?
You can apply for SSI benefits in several ways. You can stop in to your local SSA office and apply or call 1-800-772-1213 to start the process. Alternately, you can visit the online page to begin the application process. All applicants can have a lawyer assist them when they apply.
Do not be surprised if your claim is denied. SSA denies most requests for SSI benefits. Nevertheless, you will have the right to bring an appeal. In fact, you can bring several appeals if you are unhappy:
- Request for Reconsideration
- Hearing before an administrative law judge
- Appeals Council Review
- An appeal in federal court
Although some applications do not use a lawyer when they initially apply for benefits, you certainly would benefit from a lawyer’s help when seeking an appeal. You must meet strict deadlines and also build a compelling case, which usually requires a lawyer’s experience.
How Do I Get Legal Help in North Carolina?
Contact an experienced social security disability attorney who can guide you through the SSI process. At McChesney & McChesney, our disability attorneys have helped numerous clients obtain all the governmental assistance they qualify for. We have over 40 years of experience and have handled some of the toughest cases in the Carolinas. To schedule your consultation, please call 864-582-7882 or submit our contact form. We serve clients through the Carolinas from our offices in Columbia, Greenville, and Spartanburg.
We serve clients throughout the Carolinas from our offices in Spartanburg, Greenville, and Columbia.