The Disability System

The Disability System

What Is Social Security Disability?

The Social Security Administration defines a disability as the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to an impairment or combination of impairments. The condition(s) must last or be expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death. Part-time work may or may not constitute substantial gainful activity which would possibly disqualify a person from eligibility. The Social Security Administration will presume that a claimant is capable of SGA if monthly earnings are greater than $810.

Who is eligible?

In general, to be considered disabled, a person must establish that he or she cannot perform any type of gainful activity for six to eight hours per day, five days a week. While this definition may seem like a daunting hurdle to an applicant, keep in mind that the Disability program is intended to help those individuals who are unable to function in a normal work setting.  The rules are more lenient toward older workers with less education and limited job skills.

What are the different programs?

The Social Security system provides benefits for the disabled under two separate but related programs:

Social Security Disability Insurance (also called Disability Insurance Benefits or DIB)

• DIB is for workers covered by the Social Security laws who have contributed adequate quarters of coverage and have worked recently enough to be "insured" for disability benefits.
• DIB benefits may also be available for disabled widows or widowers, depending on their age and the time of the spouse's death. A disabled adult child may also be eligible to receive DIB benefits on the Social Security account of his or her parent.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• SSI benefits may be available for disabled persons who are financially needy, but do not meet the quarters of coverage limitation. Benefits may be reduced where there are other sources of income to the disabled person.

Once an individual has been disabled for 24 months, he or she will be eligible for Medicare benefits. If elected, a small premium is deducted from the beneficiary's Social Security check.

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