Social Security

Becoming disabled and unable to work is devastating because that means your income is affected. If your income is affected, so is your ability to pay your bills. The good news is you may be eligible for and able to apply for benefits through the Social Security Administration. There are a number of programs and one of them may fit your situation.

If you are disabled and unable to work because of that disability, Fishman, Carp, Bescheinen & Van Berkom, LTD may be able to help you get the benefits you need in order to move forward in life. With an experienced Minneapolis Social Security attorney working on your case, you can receive the benefits that many throughout Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Twin Cities have been able to receive.

Helping You Apply For The Right Program

If you are not able to earn a substantial income from work because a disability, such as a physical or mental impairment, is keeping you from being able to work enough or at all, you may qualify for benefits. The disability must last for at least a year or be terminal. Children under 18 years old may also qualify for disability under conditions similar to those of adults. Here are the programs that are available:

  • Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) – If you have made contributions to Social Security in the past through your wages, you may qualify. Ideally, you should have worked and paid taxes for 5 out of the last 10 years. Your disability must keep you from earning a specific monthly income and how much you are awarded depends on past earnings. You may receive a retroactive payment for the previous 12 months and you must have been disabled for at least five months before benefits can start.
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – The monthly maximum is adjusted occasionally to coincide with the increase in the cost of living. If a person makes other income, then benefits are reduced. Retroactive benefits are not given in SSI cases. It is also available to disabled children living in low-income households.
  • Medical insurance – If you are receiving SSDI, you may qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. You have to wait 25 months after becoming disabled to receive Medicare, but there is no wait to receive Medicaid if your resources and income are low.
  • Disabled Widow/Widower Benefits – If you are a widower or widow over 50 years old, you may be able to receive benefits based on what your spouse paid into Social Security. You may even be able to receive these benefits if you are divorced from your spouse. As long as you were married for more than 10 years, you may be able to secure benefits.
  • Disabled Adult Child Benefits – The disabled adult children of adults receiving Disability Insurance benefits or who received DIB insurance before they passed away may be able to receive benefits. The disability must have existed before the adult child turned 22 years old and the adult cannot have done any sort of substantial work after they turned 22.

Do You Qualify?

If your disability keeps you from being able to make more than a specific amount per month, you may qualify for one of the above programs. The first step in applying for a program is to have your Minneapolis social security lawyer help you. By doing this, you receive the help you need throughout the entire process. It means that you won’t have to go through the process alone and you will have the advice that you need when you need it. This increases your chances of receiving the benefits you need.

Contact A Minneapolis Social Security Attorney

When you have become disabled and you need to make ends meet, Social Security is the way in which you can do that when you meet the work and disability requirements. If you are disabled and wondering what your next step should be, Fishman, Carp, Bescheinen & Van Berkom, LTD is there to help you. We will give you the advice that you need so you can make informed decisions on your next steps. To learn more about how we can help you, call us at 952-546-6000 to request a free consultation.