Your Boston Social Security Disability Lawyer

To be eligible for SSDI, an individual must have earned a sufficient number of work credits. Work credits are accumulated based on the individual’s total yearly wages or self-employment income. In general, you earn up to 4 work credits per year.

The specific number of work credits required varies depending on the age at which the individual suffered the disability. However, typically, an individual needs to have earned at least 40 work credits, with 20 of those credits earned in the last 10 years ending with the year their disability was identified.

This means that generally, you need about 10 years of work, with 5 of those years being relatively recent, to qualify for SSDI benefits. Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits, as the requirements adjust based on age.

The SSA has a Ticket to Work Program that is designed to help individuals with disabilities get back to work without losing their benefits in the interim. With this program, you’re able to work for a nine-month trial work period and receive full benefits, regardless of your income. For each month that you earn $1,110 or more, you receive a trial work month. After the trial work period, you can receive benefits for the next 36 months if you make less than the monthly substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount: $1,550 or $2,590 if you’re blind. If you earn more, you won’t receive benefits for that month.

If your disability payments stop because of excessive earnings, but your health condition worsens and you can no longer work, you may be eligible for expedited reinstatement of your benefits. An experienced Boston disability lawyer from Jim Glaser Law can help you navigate working while receiving benefits and the process of expediting the reinstatement of your benefits.

Yes, qualifying for Social Security disability benefits can be challenging. Most applications are denied at first due to strict eligibility requirements and the need to provide comprehensive medical evidence. Often, applicants may need to appeal to have their case reconsidered, making the process lengthy and complex.

Having an SSDI lawyer improves your chances of providing the right info when filing a claim or appeal.

The “5-year rule” requires that an SSDI applicant have worked and paid Social Security taxes in 5 of the last 10 years before becoming disabled. This rule is intended to ensure that only those who have recently contributed to the Social Security system are eligible for disability benefits.

Yes, there is a mandatory 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits. After an applicant is approved, benefits will not begin until 5 full months have passed from the onset of their disability. This waiting period applies to all approved cases.

Our Boston Social Security disability lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid if we help you secure benefits. There is no upfront cost to work with us, and we offer free consultations to get started.

The most commonly approved disabilities for Social Security benefits include conditions such as:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., severe arthritis, spinal issues)
• Mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD)
• Cardiovascular conditions (e.g., chronic heart disease)
• Respiratory disorders (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma)

Each condition must meet SSA criteria to be approved, supported by extensive medical documentation.

There is no maximum number of times that an individual can be denied disability. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of times you can appeal a denial.

In most cases, the initial determination for SSDI takes 3 to 6 months. If your application is denied, you may need to file an appeal. The different levels of appeals can take several months, especially if you have to request a hearing. In these cases, you will wait for a hearing for 12 to 17 months, and it may take another 2 to 3 months to get a decision from the judge.

In total, the process can take anywhere from three months to two years, depending on your case. Jimmy Knows® how precious your time is. That’s why he and his team work quickly and efficiently to file all your documents and ensure no errors are made that could prevent you from receiving your benefits. When you work with Jim Glaser Law, you will continually be updated on your case’s status and never wonder where it stands.

If you receive SSDI benefits, they’re usually permanent benefits. In some cases, however, your benefits can be terminated. These may include: working, attending school full-time, earning too much money each month, or becoming incarcerated or institutionalized. Your benefits may also be reduced or eliminated if the SSA believes your condition improved.

If your benefits have been terminated, you have the right to file an appeal. You have 10 days to file an appeal to continue receiving benefits while the case is pending. If your appeal is denied, but you received benefits during that time, you will have to pay that money back. If your benefits were terminated, contact Attorney Jim Glaser today for help in filing your appeal. Jimmy Knows® what you need to do to form the strongest appeal possible for your benefits.

Other benefit programs such as workers’ comp can reduce SSDI monthly benefits. Contacting a lawyer can help you understand the maximum amount of benefits you’re entitled to and what programs you are eligible for.

Certain family members may obtain benefits through your work credits, including your spouse (if he or she is over the age of 62, is caring for a child who is under the age of 16, or has a disability), minor children, and adult children who have a disability that started before the age of 22.

If you reach retirement age while receiving Social Security disability benefits, your benefits will automatically change over to retirement benefits, assuming you meet the standard retirement qualifications for Social Security. In most cases, you cannot receive both retirement benefits and disability benefits from Social Security at the same time on the same earnings record. Contact us for a free case review to get advice on SSDI and retirement today.

In some cases, if you have a serious disability, you may qualify to have student loans discharged as part of your Social Security benefits. If this happens to you, don’t worry about losing benefits. Discharging your loans is a separate issue and will not affect the amount of money you get through your SSDI benefits.

The Department of Education handles the discharge of your student loans. However, it is always a good option to get a lawyer’s advice when receiving any type of Social Security benefit to help ensure that the paperwork is in order and the process goes smoothly. Contact our Boston disability lawyers, today!