[manicdepressive07]

Where do I go, how do I do it?

From what I understand their are two types, SSI and SSDI correct?

All I know is I can barely hold down a job, I've been fired from every job I've ever had (usually within 6 months) and I'm only working part time right now with barely any money coming in. I've been hospitalized twice since my diagnosis and I need help because I don't know how much longer I'm going to last at my current job, and I fear trying to get hired again if I get fired since my resume doesn't show me at any once place for longer than 6 months and I change jobs so frequently. I'm hoping to get better in the future, but right now I'd like to apply for disability. I live in California.

[LaborIntensive]

Just google the social security disability page and you will find the step by step process. Then search the forum for "disability" and you will find a wealth of information.

[jesusplay]

if you have more than 2k in your bank you can't get welfare(SSI)

social security disability insurance (SSDI) is based on your work history, ssa.gov has calulators to show how much SSD you would reciveve.

go to the social security site all the info is there.

[MagicsMom]

Just be prepared to get turned down the first time. I got denied and now have a lawyer who will take 25 percent of back pay if we win appeal - if we don't he gets nothing. I'm currently on disability through my prior work so back money minus lawyer fees will go to them. sSD pays more than SSI. Over 65 percent get denied the first time. I met all the criteria but they said I can do simple, routine work even though my psych said I was 100 percent disabled.

My advice - have an attorney from the start - you pay nothing if you don't win and you have a much higher chance winning with an attorney - not an advocate regroup ! Mine was useless. Appeals can take up to a year.

Also google ultimate disability guide - awesome info and that's who I hired as my attorney.

Not to cast a shadow of doom on this, but I think it may be difficult to win if you're working.

[yagalada]

They won't accept your application if your working.

[~Christina]

The more paperwork you have like hospital stays seeing a pdoc and T regularly etc .. Pdocs and T need to agree that you qualify .. If they dont document the agreement you will not be awarded benefits ... Its a long process .. so be prepared .

[r010159]

Most everyone I knew had been disabled and not working for a year or more. If you can work, then IMO you will not get disability. I do not know a case different than this who received disability. Now with a good lawyer, who knows?

SSDI if you have a minimum work history of so many quarters. SSI if you would qualify for welfare. If I remember correctly, in some cases a person can collect both. But I may be wrong here. But I do know that if you just have the minimum work history qualifications, SSI will end up paying you more than SSDI. Right now SSI is at about $750 a month. They will deduct an amount from this if you live with someone who is paying for certain living expenses like the rent.

Maybe you will need someone to financially support you through the disability process. I imagine if you can live off of State Assistance after you have been diagnose disabled, that may work. This would be the best case. If you can make it in reliably enough to push a broom you will not get disability. This is what I have been told. I went through the SSDI process and I have been on disability for years now. I first received SSI because my income qualified me. But when I went to a lawyer to appeal, they ended up giving me SSDI in place of my SSI.

I think the first step is to get allot of documentation together, preferably from multiple doctors that your handicap prevents you from holding any kind of job down. Also apply for State Assistance (Welfare). Then get yourself a lawyer. It may be best to first get the lawyer so they can walk you through the process. But the lawyer will only take your case if you have a reasonably good chance to qualify. They are not going to work up front for you and collect later if this is not the case. Having documentation about your illness for the lawyer will definitely help. But if you tell the lawyer you are working full time on a job, I do not think they will even look at you. They actually laughed at my friend who told them this about himself.

Work = no disability
Unable to work + other requirements (including allot of documentation) and a lawyer = disability.

There is no such thing as partial disability. I hope this helps!

[otroo]

I have been denied three times this last year. I now have a lawyer and she says I should get it no problem on this court case we will see.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FLJ13]

Originally Posted by MagicsMom

Just be prepared to get turned down the first time. I got denied and now have a lawyer who will take 25 percent of back pay if we win appeal - if we don't he gets nothing. I'm currently on disability through my prior work so back money minus lawyer fees will go to them. sSD pays more than SSI. Over 65 percent get denied the first time. I met all the criteria but they said I can do simple, routine work even though my psych said I was 100 percent disabled.

My advice - have an attorney from the start - you pay nothing if you don't win and you have a much higher chance winning with an attorney - not an advocate regroup ! Mine was useless. Appeals can take up to a year.

Also google ultimate disability guide - awesome info and that's who I hired as my attorney.

I had been out of work for almost 2 yrs, applied for SSDI directly at an SSA office and was awarded the first time I applied. A lawyer is not needed. They do nothing for you that you can't do for yourself.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by yagalada

They won't accept your application if your working.

I don't think that is entirely true...if someone barely hold on to a job and only works part time probably more if they have a full time job, but any work will make it less likely they would approve it...they still accept the application though and it can then be appealed if denied. I could be wrong but from what I understand you can qualify for SSI if you cannot work a substantial amount due to disability.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by FLJ13

A lawyer is not needed. They do nothing for you that you can't do for yourself.

I wish people would quit making this generalization...for the initially applying a lawyer is not needed not sure what difference having one to start with or not would make. However when I appealed the lawyer did lots of things I couldn't have done effectively, even with the attorney It was ridiculously stressful, no way I could have handled all the paper work and digging around to get medical records and then putting together a convincing case. If I was responsible to do everything the lawyer did that really would not have put me in a good place.

[Perna]

See if this helps? http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11125.pdf

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is Social Security and based on your work history and how much you have paid into Social Security from your payroll checks so you probably do not qualify. SSI is Supplemental Security Income and while administered by Social Security, the money comes from elsewhere. But there is only one form to fill out and they see if you qualify for either/any.

[junkDNA]

im on disability. i got it in 4 months within applying. i had consistent notes from a pdoc for years. and i also held short jobs for less than 3 months each. i only worked 5 jobs before i got disability. nowi work part time 20 hours a week at a grocery store. its jsut enough to not lose my disability. dont give up.

[RTerroni]

Originally Posted by junkDNA

im on disability. i got it in 4 months within applying. i had consistent notes from a pdoc for years. and i also held short jobs for less than 3 months each. i only worked 5 jobs before i got disability. nowi work part time 20 hours a week at a grocery store. its jsut enough to not lose my disability. dont give up.

So you can work some and not lose your disability.

[ThisWayOut]

You can work a minimum amount and not Louise it, but then they put you on the ticket to work program if you are successful at work for a period of time. It's a way to get back into the work force and do something you can handle. (That's the best of my understanding anyway, I could be wrong. I only looked into it a bit because some work helps keep me balanced while too much throws me off).

[RTerroni]

Originally Posted by MdngtRain

You can work a minimum amount and not Louise it, but then they put you on the ticket to work program if you are successful at work for a period of time. It's a way to get back into the work force and do something you can handle. (That's the best of my understanding anyway, I could be wrong. I only looked into it a bit because some work helps keep me balanced while too much throws me off).

Oh I see, I work a small job (and have for some time) that is typically only a few hours a week (and I make my own hours) but the only reason I have it is because my dad is friends with the person who runs it (and will actually be taking over it very soon) and is part of the organization that owns the hall, otherwise I would not have the job.

Although the standard for disability is to be able to support oneself- I have to agree: if you are working and making any income through that, even part time to any degree, you are very very likely to be denied. It's actually pretty much a given.

There are a lot of things that are more complicated, that involve a lot of individual factors, but that has been pretty consistent from what I have seen.

You can work while on disability, after being approved.
Starting after the first couple years I've had various part time jobs in an effort to regain sellf support [and not been terribly successful, but that's a different story]. There is a limit to the income and there's some complicated restrictions eventually, but it doesn't automatically effect your benefits or anything.

During the application process, it doesn't look great to the SSA though.

Originally Posted by Perna

See if this helps? http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11125.pdf

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is Social Security and based on your work history and how much you have paid into Social Security from your payroll checks so you probably do not qualify. SSI is Supplemental Security Income and while administered by Social Security, the money comes from elsewhere. But there is only one form to fill out and they see if you qualify for either/any.

It is based on how much you have paid in- the amount you receive in benefits.

Whether you qualify for SSDI at all is based on the number of work quarters you have gained over a certain period of time.

So even if you have had a spotty work history an individual may have still been able to gain enough work credits. A lot of people are still able to. Saying someone probably does not qualify on such limited information is really jumping the gun here.

[RTerroni]

Originally Posted by JosieTheGirl

Although the standard for disability is to be able to support oneself- I have to agree: if you are working and making any income through that, even part time to any degree, you are very very likely to be denied. It's actually pretty much a given.

There are a lot of things that are more complicated, that involve a lot of individual factors, but that has been pretty consistent from what I have seen.

You can work while on disability, after being approved.
Starting after the first couple years I've had various part time jobs in an effort to regain sellf support [and not been terribly successful, but that's a different story]. There is a limit to the income and there's some complicated restrictions eventually, but it doesn't automatically effect your benefits or anything.

During the application process, it doesn't look great to the SSA though.

True and hopefully my lawyer will be able to show at my next hearing that the only reason why I have that job is because my dad really knows the person in charge (in fact by the time I have the hearing he will be the person in charge).