Difference Between SSD and SSI

Should I Seek SSD or SSI Disability Benefits?

When serious health problems stop you from working, life feels turned upside down. This is what Social Security Disability benefits were created for—to help people like you regain financial peace in a difficult time.

There are two main types of Social Security Disability benefits:

• SSDI: If you spent years working and paying into Social Security, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance.
• SSI: If you haven’t been able to work much, or your earnings were below certain levels—and you have limited savings or other resources— Supplemental Security Income may be a better fit.

Both programs require you to be unable to work for at least a year because of your medical condition—meaning doctors say it will last a year, even if it hasn’t been that long yet.

But deciding whether to apply for SSDI or SSI can quickly get much more complicated than it seems at first. If you’re applying for disability benefits on your own, it’s best to apply for both, to give yourself the best chance at the maximum possible benefits.

It’s even better to have an experienced SSI and SSDI attorney help you decide what to do.

At Lachman & Gorton Law Office, we help people in Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester and across upstate New York understand the difference between SSDI and SSI—and make the right decisions to get the benefits they deserve.

Whether you’re applying for the first time or appealing a denial, a knowledgeable lawyer for SSI benefits or SSDI can help you avoid common mistakes and build a stronger case.

Social Security Disability is difficult to get. There’s a lot of paperwork, strict deadlines, and medical evidence you need to gather. You don’t have to do it alone.

We’ve helped thousands of people win disability benefits—and we’re ready to help you too.

Differences Between SSD and SSI: Why It’s So Hard to Decide

Choosing between SSDI and SSI is so complicated because of wrinkles like this:

You could’ve worked enough years to qualify for SSDI. But SSDI payments are based partly on your past earnings. If your earnings were low enough, your SSDI checks could be less than you would get from SSI, which uses a standard rate. You always want to get whichever benefit would pay higher.

Sometimes you could also have an interim period where you receive SSI or SSDI for a while and then switch to the other one.
The type of benefit you receive and how much you get can even change month to month.

One example is if you receive money from a source other than working, like an inheritance or legal settlement. That would affect your SSI because it has limits on the financial assets you can have, but not SSDI if you qualify for it, because SSDI only looks at income from working.

Both programs require you to prove that you are medically unable to work, but they look at very different economic eligibility criteria, and it can become a real tangle to sort out if you fall somewhere between the two.

Not sure which benefit best fits your situation? Speak with an experienced lawyer for SSI or SSDI benefits in Binghamton today.

It costs you nothing up-front to work with us. You pay no attorney fee until you win benefits. But our disability lawyers can help you cut the uncertainty about what to do as you seek benefits.

Start with a FREE CONSULTATION.

Differences between SSD and SSI: What You Receive

Besides work history and economic situation, SSDI and SSI also differ in what benefits you receive after approval.

• SSDI provides monthly payments based on your past income. The amount varies from person to person.
• SSI provides a set federal benefit, with adjustments if you have some resources or assets. Having too much in savings, investments or property disqualifies you from SSI.

It’s designed to cover basic needs for people in financial hardship.

The two programs are also different when it comes to the health care you get to manage your health:

• SSDI recipients get access to Medicare instead of having to wait until retirement age. You have to wait 24 months from when you qualified for disability benefits to get Medicare coverage. But you get credit for months that passed while you were applying for disability, so the wait may not be as long by the time you’re approved.
• SSI recipients receive Medicaid immediately upon approval for disability benefits. Medicaid, like SSI, is based on financial need. So, if you’re eligible for SSI, you’re eligible for health care through Medicaid right away.

At Lachman & Gorton Law Office, we’ve spent over 35 years helping people get the disability benefits you need to move forward with your life.

We can help you:

• Understand whether SSDI or SSI applies to your situation
• File a strong, accurate application for disability benefits
• Appeal a denial if your claim was rejected

Lachman & Gorton can make the decisions you face, and your life going forward, easier.

Call us today.