Are you disabled and wondering what you can do when your disability keeps you from being able to work? You may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance. SSDI is a program for those under the age of 65 that have enough work credits and eligible disabilities to receive monthly payments. There are qualifying tests that are used by the Social Security Administration to determine whether a person will receive SSDI or not.

If you believe you are entitled to SSDI in the state of Florida but aren’t sure where to start, Stephen M. Andrews is an experienced Florida SSDI attorney that will help you with your Florida SSDI claim. While applying for SSDI in Florida may seem cut and dry, the truth is the guidelines governing SSDI benefits are complicated, intricate, and for many, confusing. It is best that a candidate for SSDI benefits works with an attorney specializing in SSDI law to better manage the initial application and any appeals that may arise.

How Do You Qualify For SSDI?

You must have worked for a specific period of time and paid into the Social Security System if you are to qualify for SSDI benefits. You will need a certain amount of work credits from your employment history, and most years this work credit amount changes. Credits are given based on how much you have earned as well as the age you were when your disability occurred. Amassing the right number of work credits aren’t the only thing that you will need to qualify for the government benefit.

Your disability also matters. Potentially, your condition is already listed as one of the 50 conditions the SSA says will automatically be awarded SSDI benefits. If your condition is not on the list, then your condition must meet the criteria the SSA has for confirming a condition is in fact disabling. The guidelines are found in the SSA’s Blue Book. The SSA says that your condition must:

• Prevent you from being able to perform the same job you were able to do before you were disabled.
• Renders you unable to do any other type of work.
• Will last a minimum of 12 months or for the rest of your life.

If you suffer from a partial or short-term disability, you will not be eligible for SSDI.

There are situations where individuals apply for SSDI and they are successful at obtaining benefits. As a result, their spouse and children can also receive benefits. These benefits are called auxiliary benefits. The amount that a dependant family member may receive will be based on the amount of taxes you paid into the SS system before your disability. To ensure that your family members can get the benefits, they must be included as a part of your initial claim for SSDI benefits. Spouses must be a partner who helps you take care of your children and be under the age of 62, while children must be younger than 16 years of age.

Do You Need the Help of a Florida SSDI Attorney?

If you are successful in securing Florida SSDI benefits, you will receive them until you can go back to work or until you reach retirement age. To help improve your chances of receiving SSDI benefits in Florida, Stephen M. Andrews is a Tallahassee SSDI attorney that will work with you to help you file your claim or to fight on your behalf in an appeal. Call Stephen M. Andrews today at (850) 906-9599 to schedule your free consultation.