Limerick, PA Social Security Disability (SSDI) Lawyer

Social Security programs exist to provide financial support to those who need it, including individuals who have been in the workforce for many years but can no longer support themselves because of a disability, injury, or illness.

Your eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) depends on your work history and disability. If you pass the criteria, meaning enough Social Security taxes have been removed from your paychecks over the years, and you have a medical condition preventing you from working, you can get SSDI. After being approved, you should get a check each month, either on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday, depending on your birthday. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses complicated equations to calculate SSDI benefits, and our attorneys can estimate your likely benefit amount based on your average income. To keep getting SSDI after approval, you must stay below outside income levels and give the SSA updated medical records confirming your continued disability upon request.

Get a confidential and free case evaluation from the SSDI lawyers at Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates by calling (215) 515-2954 today.

What SSDI Applicants and Recipients Should Know About Benefits in Limerick, PA

When applying for SSDI, our attorneys can determine your eligibility based on your work history and condition. We can also answer common questions applicants have about how often they will receive payments, what amounts those payments might be, and what could threaten their continued eligibility for SSDI.

How Do You Qualify for Benefits?

The first factor in determining SSDI eligibility is whether or not you have a qualifying condition. The SSA lists numerous conditions as eligible for SSDI, including many cancers, mental health disorders, immune system disorders, and many more.

The second part of eligibility is whether or not an applicant has a fair work history. The number of work credits applicants need depends on several factors, such as their current age and how long they have been in the workforce. Figuring out whether or not you have a sufficient work history is complicated, and our SSDI lawyers can review your case to determine if you meet the SSA’s criteria. If you sustained a disability before turning 22, you might qualify under the disabled adult child (DAC) definition, getting SSDI through your parent’s earning record.

How Often Will You Get Checks from the SSA?

Once SSDI recipients are approved for benefits and through the five-month waiting period, they should start getting checks from the Social Security Administration. Checks should come monthly; recipients can get them through the mail or direct deposit. Payment dates are set according to recipients’ birthdays. Anyone born between the 1st and the 10th gets their checks on the second Wednesday of the month. Anyone born between the 11th and the 20th gets their checks on the third Wednesday of each month. And finally, the fourth Wednesday of the month is reserved for those born between the 21st and the 31st.

Getting your monthly benefit via direct deposit can help avoid processing or mailing delays. If you change your banking information at any time, we can help you inform the SSA so that you can continue getting your checks on time. Report any late payments to our lawyers, and we can promptly inform the SSA of its error.

Why Do Some Recipients Lose Their Benefits?

You can get SSDI for as long as your condition persists and prevents you from working. If you work a part-time job while receiving SSDI, you must be mindful of substantial gainful activity (SGA) and trial work period (TWP) limits, which could jeopardize your continued access to SSDI.

The SGA limit for statutorily blind recipients is $2,590 in 2024. For non-blind recipients, it is $1,550. This amount changes each year to adjust for inflation.

Trial work periods exist so SSDI recipients can test their ability to rejoin the workforce. However, these periods are triggered automatically anytime a recipient earns more than $1,110 in a month. Leaving TWPs unchecked for too long could make the SSA think you no longer need financial support in the form of monthly SSDI payments. Fortunately, during the grace period that follows TWPs, our lawyers may present additional medical evidence to the SSA confirming your condition persists and is still disabling.

How Often Can You Expect to Hear from the SSA?

How often you hear from the SSA after getting approved for SSDI support, apart from each month when you get your check, will depend on your condition and whether or not the SSA thinks it might improve. The SSA conducts continuing disability reviews periodically, sometimes every several years. Preparing for a continuing disability review with current medical records is important. Otherwise, the SSA might revoke your benefits. Make sure you continue undergoing treatments for your condition or get routine checkups with your doctors so that you have updated information at any given time.

How Large Will Your Benefit Amount Be?

This depends on your average indexed monthly earnings, which considers your income in the years preceding your injury or disability. When calculating SSDI benefit amounts, the SSA also makes the cost of living adjustments to account for inflation and rising living costs. SSDI applicants nearing retirement age could get the maximum monthly benefit of $3,822 in 2024. If you get SSDI as a DAC, your benefit amount will depend on the parent whose earning record you used to qualify. By reviewing your work credits to date, our attorneys can estimate your anticipated monthly benefit so you can prepare your finances and budget accordingly. Note that if you earn over the SGA limit in a month, you may not get your SSDI check from the SSA for that month.

Call Our Disability Lawyers in Limerick, PA Today

Call the SSDI lawyers of Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates at (215) 515-2954 to discuss your case for free.