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People often confuse Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability (SSD). In addition to confusion regarding what these respective programs provide, people sometimes find it difficult to grasp why they may be eligible for one but not the other. In this article, we discuss these programs and explain how you may be eligible for SSI but not SSD.
What are SSI and SSD?
As noted above, people sometimes find it difficult to understand why they would be potentially eligible for SSI benefits but not SSD benefits. To understand the reason for this, it’s necessary to take a closer look at these two separate Social Security Disability programs.
Similarities Between the Programs
These programs are similar in some respects. For example, SSI and SSD are both payable to someone who is disabled. In addition, the standard to prove disability is the same for both programs and can be summed up as the inability to perform any work eight hours a day, forty hours a week. This is typically referred to as the medical portion of an SSI or SSD claim.
Differences Between the Programs
There are also differences between the programs that make them unique. For one, SSD benefits are payable only to those people who have worked five out of the last ten years. You must have 20 work credits to be eligible for SSD benefits, and you can earn one credit per quarter that you work. If you haven’t worked five out of the last ten years, then you are not eligible for SSD benefits.
SSI, on the other hand, does not require any kind of work history to be eligible for benefits. Instead, a person must prove that they are disabled and that their resources fall below a certain level. After someone has qualified as disabled under the SSI program, Social Security conducts an asset test to determine if that person has any income, assets, property, and other resources. Social Security then applies a complicated formula to determine the applicant’s eligibility. A person who falls below the asset limit and is disabled is then entitled to SSI benefits.
Eligibility for SSI but Not SSD
The differences detailed above illustrate how a person may be eligible for SSI but not SSD. Specifically, a person may be fully disabled and fall below the asset limit to qualify for SSI eligibility. However, if he or she lacks enough work credit for SSD, then he or she will be denied SSD benefits. However, before determining which program to apply for, you should contact an experienced attorney to review your eligibility for SSI and SSD.
Contact a Michigan SSI Attorney
If you would like to examine your eligibility for SSI and SSD in Michigan, you should contact an experienced Michigan SSI attorney today. At Grech Law Firm, our experienced Michigan attorney will work hard on your behalf to ensure that you obtain the benefits for which you qualify. Please contact us today to arrange a consultation with a Michigan SSI attorney.