Millions of people rely on Social Security disability benefits in the United States, yet many people don’t truly understand it. 

While we all love our retirement benefits, Social Security disability may be even more valuable for the average American. You can plan for retirement, but unfortunately, you can’t usually predict an illness or an injury that could prevent you from working. That is where Social Security disability comes into play. However, before you can get your benefits, you have to go through the application process, and one of the biggest mistakes applicants make during this process is not having enough information about Social Security disability (SSD). That’s why our Social Security attorney in Louisville has come up with this list of things that everyone should know about SSD:

#1. How you qualify for SSD benefits.

Just as you have to work a certain number of years to earn your Social Security retirement benefits, there is a minimum length of work required for SSD as well. SSD uses the same credit system they use for retirement. For every $1,200 you make in annual wages, you earn 1 credit, and you can earn up to 4 in a calendar year.

#2. How the SSA defines a disability.

In order for you to qualify for SSD benefits, your disability must not be partial or short-term, and it has to be expected to prevent you from working for at least a year. The disability also has to be total, which means that it has to prevent you from doing the job you currently have, as well as previous jobs you’ve held in the past and other jobs related to your skill set.

Learn about the last couple of things that everyone should know about SSD when you stay tuned for our next blog.