How the Social Security Administration determines eligibility
For many people, working is not as simple as getting up, going to work, doing a good job, and coming home at the end of the day. For many people who live with some type of mental issue, the work environment as well as the work itself can be difficult if not impossible to navigate. For those situations, the federal government has established a program that provides a monthly income to those in need.
The Social Security Administration’s guidelines (SSA) to determine eligibility
For a person to qualify for those federal programs, they will need to prove that they have suffered from the mental impairment for at least the past 12 months and they must have paid into Social Security for at least five of the past 10 years that they were working. The spouse and minor children can also receive benefits, which are linked to the recipient’s Social Security account. After 24 months have passed, the recipient will also be eligible for Medicare benefits. There are two different programs: one for adults and one for minors (up to age 18). Although the programs are federal, some of the rules vary from state to state. In certain states, the person may also be able to receive benefits from their state.
SSA follows a precise list of eligibility criteria when you file a claim. Subsequently, if you are applying for benefits, it may take several months before you receive a decision.
How to file a disability claim
In most cases, if you are filing a disability claim, you will file through a local SSA office. If you are not comfortable filing by yourself, it may be valuable for you to consult a lawyer with experience with disability claims. The lawyer can help you with the application as well as actually filing the claim.
If your claim is denied, which happens to many people, you can appeal the decision and you will appear before an administrative judge.A lawyer can also help you to move through the system so that you can receive the benefits to which you are entitled.