Cheltenham, PA Disability (SSDI) Lawyer

Individuals who are disabled and unable to work still need to be able to afford things like food, housing, and other necessities, and they also need to be able to live fruitful lives. For that reason, programs like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) exist to help people who have become disabled and can no longer work and earn a living wage. However, to get SSDI benefits, you have to apply and have your application approved by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

We can assist you with any SSDI-related needs you may have, including getting your application ready, ushering it through the approval process, and dealing with any hiccups that may happen along the way. The SSDI process can be lengthy and complicated, so it pays to have experienced professionals assisting you through the process.

Get a free review and analysis of your claim from Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates’ SSDI Lawyers by calling (215) 515-2954.

Social Security Disability Insurance in Cheltenham, PA

Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is a federal program that enables disabled workers in the U.S. to receive income and live a fulfilling life. However, you have to apply to the program in order to receive benefits. The application process can be lengthy, and many applicants are rejected at first but get accepted into the program later. Because SSDI applications can be time-consuming and complicated, many people get help from our SSDI attorneys or other services to assist them with the process and ensure things go as smoothly as possible.

Preparing Your SSDI Application in Cheltenham, PA

Of course, you cannot just send an application in right away. There is a bit of preparation that goes into an SSDI application. You and our SSDI lawyers will need to track down various details about you and your condition in order to give you the best shot at getting your application approved. Some of the things you need to display in your SSDI application include:

Actual Disability

To be eligible for SSDI benefits, you must demonstrate that you are actually disabled. The SSDI website has a list of disabilities called the “listing of impairments,” which catalogs various conditions the Social Security Administration considers to be disabilities. Your disability must make it so that working and financially supporting yourself and your family through regular means is not possible. SSDI calls this being “totally disabled.”

Being “totally disabled” means that you cannot participate in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA), which SSDI bases on your monthly income from all sources. The income threshold for SGA will change from year to year. For 2024, if you are not blind, the SGA threshold is $1,550 per month. If you are blind, the threshold is $2,590 per month.

Prior Work History

Alongside demonstrating that you are actually disabled, you need to show an adequate work history to get approved for SSDI. Social Security measures work through credits that are gained over time. A credit represents roughly four months of work, so you can gain up to four per year of work. The older you are, the more credits you will need for eligibility. If you are younger than 24, you need at least six credits in the three years preceding your disability. If you are between the ages of 24 and 31, you need to show that you were working for half or more of the time between when you turned 21 and when you became disabled. If you are 31 years old or older, you must have 20 credits in the 10 years leading up to when you became disabled.

Applying for SSDI in Cheltenham, PA

Once we have your application ready to go, it is time actually to fill it out and send it in. SSDI applications are done online and will require you to enter the information you have gathered; proof of disability and work history.

To help support your claim, information like medical records, and proof of employment are going to be important, as those things help prove that you need the SSDI definition of disability and have work credits, respectively. Additionally, you are going to need to submit some personal information, like your social security number.

Once your application is in, you will need to wait to hear back from Social Security while they evaluate your case. They may ask for more information if they believe something is missing from your application, so be prepared to give them more details if they ask. Of course, we can assist you with that endeavor.

Generally, it takes anywhere from three to five months for an application to be evaluated. Additionally, many initial applications for SSDI benefits are denied because the program is so competitive. Do not despair if your application is denied, though, as there is an appeal process that our lawyers can help you with. In fact, many SSDI applications that are initially denied get approved later on appeal.

Getting SSDI Benefits in Cheltenham, PA

Once your application is approved, you cannot get your first SSDI check until five months after your disability started. One of the reasons for this waiting period is for Social Security to ensure that you do not stop being disabled during that time. If, at any point, you are no longer disabled and are able to work again, your SSDI benefits will stop. Our lawyers can help you plan for the time between when your application is approved and when you start getting benefits, and we can help make sure that you get benefits when you are supposed to.

Some disabilities will not be subject to a waiting period. For example, people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can get SSDI benefits immediately, provided that your application was approved on or after July 23, 2020.

Our Cheltenham, PA SSDI Lawyers are Here to Help You

Call (215) 515-2954 and speak to one of our SSDI Lawyers from Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates about your claim today.