[Leslie]

Does anyone know if you can get disabilty when you haven't worked hardly at all and if you do can you live off the income? I thought you had to work more than 3 years to collect. I already looked up socialsecuritygov/applyfordisability and couldn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks for helping,
Leslie

[JustBen]

This would be a good place to start, Leslie:
http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/index.htm

[(JD)]

It seems the rules might change from time to time... before I was injured the rules had been "just" so many credits... when I was injured it was "so many credits within so many years of the injury" so I have no clue what it might be now, nearly 19 years later. I think, on the back of the ss credit slip you should be receving each year, it says. Everyone is supposed to receive that accounting each year, btw. Have you googled "social security credits" ? try to be less specific and you might find the page on which the listing is... good wishes...

[(JD)]

Thanks for that link, Ben... it doesn't give anything specific that I can find... grrrr I tried "filling out a form" just to see if there was more info, for me... but nope... I sent them a feedback comment though!

[wisewoman]

Leslie, yes you have to have earned a certain number of quarters but in your case you could collect of ex spouse. Other option is SSI disability and you would DEFINATELY want subsidized housing etc with that income. It can be done. Let me know if I can help.

[Leslie]

Dear JustBen, Sky, WW

Thanks for your input. I just filled out a very long form on line, I hope it went through. It was from the site JustBen gave me. WOW that form was something else. I have been in the hospital so many times , I couldnt remember everytime and what dates.

Thannks for responding,
Leslie

WW. I will probably be wanting to talk to you more about this in the near future.

[kimmydawn]

(((((((((((((((((leslie))))))))))))))))))))

good luck. I think a person has to work full time for like 5 yrs to get SSD? However, there's SSI for those who have worked enough to earn those credits. So, either way, one is covered. Much luck to you!

With SSD, you get it regardless of family income. However, SSI one can only get it if spouse makes under a certain amount (if married) because it goes according to household income. I may not be totally accurate on that, either, but that's my understanding.

let us know, ok?

kd

[JustBen]

Long forms are something you'll have to get used to with the Social Security Administration. Good luck going forward and keep us updated.

[jennie]

Social Security pays only for total disability [you cannot work at all for at least a year.]

"hardly worked" . . . does this mean you can work?

your claim should support the fact you cannot work at all (for a year) or you will be denied. i hear some people who even provide documentation that they are "totally disabled" still get denied but approved later when they reapply (kinda a bureaucracy issue)

[(JD)]

From what I know (and some days that's a lot!) NO ONE gets approved the first time they apply... the good thing is, once you ARE approved, it's retroactive to the date of your first application.

ok heres what its like living on SSI/SSDI (social security disability grants. I get $574.00 a month. Rent is $540. a month (thank god I stuck out the 5 year waiting list for a housing program called HUD/Section 8 which is that they pay a protion of my rent. I get $64.00 in foodstamps a month. You want to know what this is like go to your local market with a calculator and put in your cart $64.00 worth of food. Then look at what you have and think about how that food is going to divide up into at least 90 meals. (three meals a day) Im NOT roasting a turkey for thanksgiving since the cheepest one here is clost to $15.00 for a five pound turkey (basically the size of a bag of sugar). Then you also get medical coverage - that means you recieve your states medical card and you must see ONLY those doctors that are covered by that medical card. If your luck like I am that medical card will also pay for your therapy as long as your therapist agency is listed as one of those covered by the state medical card. I came close to having to choose a new therapy agency a couple years ago because of government cutbacks on mental health coverage. Most medical cards in the united states no longer cover dental care. Im lucky my state is still voting for dental coverage. I dont have to work now but I also don't have the spare money to just go out with my friend and/or buy myself new clothes (and forget the name brands no money for them) every month. I haven't seen a movie in a theater in about 5 years. My newest movie is from block buster previously viewed buy as is sale rack I get a new pair of sneakers once a year for which I also have to pay a rehabilitation company to alter my shoes to accomidate my braces and make up for my leg shortage. Basically by bank account is overdrawn about every third month just to keep me in the bare necessities. Thank god for my bank offers overdraft coverage otherwise Id be homeless or sitting in jail for bounce checks. In order to get my computer I have been saving pennys nickles dimes quarters 5 years. Don't get me wrong it is possible to live like this but you have to be prepared to settle for second, third, fourth best and live by strict budget planning so that you don't end up homeless and no food. I don't recommend it only as a last resort for anyone to live like this and if you plan on doing you need to do it like yesturday. The government is in the process of revamping the social security program because soon too many people (they are called baby boomers people who were born during a specific war time) will be retiring from the job force compared to the amount of money available in the government social security program. Many people are getting denied and at some point many people who are already on the program will be taken off depending on the final new social security program requirements allotments and so on. Your local social security office has information pamplets on requirements. I suggest you go get it over calling and asking then to send you one. The last time I called my agency I was on hold for a half hour.

[(JD)]

(((myself)))) yes, the ss program was designed to be an adjunct provision to your regular insurance/retirement, not the provider of full living benefits. sigh. I know it isn't easy...

[CedarS]

I live on S.S.I. only also. I am not eligible for S.S.D.I., because I don't have enough work credits on my record.

The Social Security site is the way to go, explains all the rules, things vary according to state also.

Many of us have had to go through several applications, there is an entire process to this, best to persist persist persist. Many of us are denied at the first couple levels and this is entirely normal.

When I reached the level of seeing a judge (I'm not using the proper official terms here, too tired to look them up, it is all on website ), I found an attorney who specialized in these cases, who only got paid a percentage if I was approved. I was approved, they were paid, I am happy with their service.

The experience applying was long, tedious, exhausting, and often triggering. I found ways to cope: having something to do while on phone hold and in waiting rooms, therapy during the process, being really organized with paperwork.

I have my small monthly S.S.I. check, housing help that pays for much of my rent through Section 8 housing, food stamps, and medical.

Oh I should add some helpful advice: keep all records, everything, every piece of paper, even notes on phone calls and meetings. The process of application is all about documentation. SS will very likely ultimately want records from every place you can think of and then some, in most cases they will get the records themselves, anything you can do to stay organized is very helpful also.

If you can, get yourself a file cabinet or notebooks or file folders, browse around in the home office supply section of a store and get what appeals to you.

Being organized will help diminish some of the overwhelm possible with this journey.

[__zh]

just thought one positive story could help...

our first application went through and was approved. we had enough work credits so our assistance is a combination of the SSDI (the work credit one) and SSI (just because you are a citizen)

it wasn't easy with the forms and phone calls and having to go to meetings at the local Social Security office but well worth all the fuss.

with the help of our pdoc, therapist and friends we got through the process in a matter of months and found ourselves delighted and relieved when the checks started direct deposit.

it is not easy to live on this little money but better than the alternatives (in our situation anyway)

good luck and fingers crossed for this to go smoothly for you.

[__zh]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
SarahL said:
Oh I should add some helpful advice: keep all records, everything, every piece of paper, even notes on phone calls and meetings. The process of application is all about documentation. SS will very likely ultimately want records from every place you can think of and then some, in most cases they will get the records themselves, anything you can do to stay organized is very helpful also.

If you can, get yourself a file cabinet or notebooks or file folders, browse around in the home office supply section of a store and get what appeals to you.

Being organized will help diminish some of the overwhelm possible with this journey.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> best advice ever!!

seriously Leslie.........this is very true. document EVERYTHING and find whatever way works for you to organize your papers.

we had a massive portfolio that was crammed full of copies of everything submitted to them, copies of any charts or notes from professionals, handwritten notes with times and dates of phone interactions with SocSec officials, etc.

document document document......they'll try to bury you with paper......do it to them!!

again, good luck and keep at this.

[(JD)]

now I am questioning... as I am certainly a citizen but will never receive ssi due to my disability insurance! at least, that's what my attorney argued and the opposition agreed. now.. you get two lawyers to agree on something it must be truth right?

[__zh]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
_Sky said:
now I am questioning... as I am certainly a citizen but will never receive ssi due to my disability insurance! at least, that's what my attorney argued and the opposition agreed. now.. you get two lawyers to agree on something it must be truth right?

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

can't explain it well enough to really differentiate out what is what as we're confused by how they come to the numbers they do.....

SSI is income based. By having insurance through another provider you're not eligible for SSI. Our situation was running out of COBRA insurance years ago and then being uninsured while working a w-2 job after y2k.....that and our complete lack of ownership of anything of value. When it came time to apply our financial records showed we had nuttin'. For once being poor worked in our favour!

SSDI----one must have enough work credits earned. (this is one of those things that is taken out of paychecks by the Feds)

SSI---one must qualify for the level of low income set by the SSI ppl.

for us they checked out our submitted application and determined based on some magical equation that we were to receive x amount from the SSDI (the majority of our funds) and y amount from SSI (the paltry amount) and our insurance has been through the state since the award of SSI/SSDI earlier this year.............starting in Dec. we gain medicare coverage in addition to our state coverage. How they determine those things is beyond us. Having spent years paying full price while uninsured for rx and doc visits we're happy to have any coverage at all.

it is worth finding out from someone who understands how to explain this better as there are horror stories as well as easy peasy ones. we went in scared and frightened our claim would be denied but it was approved first time and the direct deposit started almost immediately after the benefits had been awarded. If only we had known how easy it ended up being ....we would have applied long ago.

[wisewoman]

Leslie, I can explain at length. Every state has a different SSI rate which is the top amount you can get if you have ssdi and ssi or just ssi. I seem to remember your spouse had a lucrative job. You may have a pretty goos benefit collecting of his.

The biggest thing is to document everything you are going through and have been. I would and have for others written a chronological narrative giving as much info of the disability and the effect on your life. Ie, what is it like day to day? How have you felt, what is going on physically? It is true a lot of claims are denied first time around. However, by giving SSA as much info as possible and doing some of the research yourself, you can help your case. Please let me know if I can help.

[__zh]

thanks ww for coming in with the known answers!!

Leslie....feel free to PM us as well. it took the support of a few friends who had been down that road themselves to help us get there too. we needed their support in not making our narrative sound better...........we learned that we had to be brutally honest about how much we were unable to do.

it is natural for most ppl with depression or mental health issues to try to minimize their situation. this is one case in which you want to go into detail about how hard each day and daily activity is. it was very hard to see our application written out in great detail about how unable we were managing daily life...... but we know the truth of our situation helped our claim. nobody wants to list they're having trouble keeping the house cleaned, bills paid, personal hygeine, etc. but those are the realities for some facing mental disease/disorder. remember that you're not making things out worse than they are.........you're just being starkly truthful about your situation.

(((ww))) for being such a great resource here to this community....that's in addition to being a great lady!

[jennie]

i just found this website that helps locate (free) benefits for you.

http://www.benefitscheckup.org/

takes a little while answering questions but worth it.

[Beautiful_Pain]

<font color="purple">

I was going to ask this same question! Thank you to everyone for the info and responses.

</font>

[(JD)]

wow I already received a reply to that "forms" comment I made at that ssa.gov site! How kewl is that! I mean a real reply, not a form answer. They gave me all the detail for receiving benefit's based on a former spouse ---- as if the spouse is deceased! grrr mine isn't so I had to request more info... but I have hope of another reply now! I'm not looking for disability benies, as I have such, but additional income which I deserve (because I'm a citizen and "paid" in.. and I'm disabled.. grrrr this goes into effect at age 50 I may have lost some already!)

[Leslie]

WOW what a thread going on here. I am going to try to keep in contact with all of you. I will be going in December 2nd for open heart again. If it becomes an emergency I will have to go in sooner, hopefully not because heart is not healed from last surgery. All the information on this thread is very usefull to me. I want to thank all of you for taking the time to reply to my post. I am really impressed by this response. It means alot to me that I have so much support here in this forum. It even makes me tear up a bit .

((((((((((((((((everyone)))))))))))))))))
Love,
Leslie

[dottie]

(((((((((((((Leslie))))))))))))))

xxxooo TGC

[(JD)]

Hang in there ((((leslie)))) I have a 94 year old friend who had bypass last year and is doing great! (he was driving within a month YIKES!)