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Know the Difference Between SSI and SSDI Before You Apply

You might wonder what the difference is between SSI and SSDI. Many people believe there are few details separating the two since they both deal with payments to the disabled, but in reality, they are quite different. Before you decide to apply to either one, you must know what sets each apart from the other.

Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a program funded by the U.S. Treasury general fund. It offers a set amount of money to those who have low income, a disability, blindness, or are either over 65 or still a child. If you meet any of these requirements, keep reading.

To be eligible for SSI, you will need to meet income requirements. In most cases, if your assets are under $2000, or you and your spouse's assets combined add up to less than $3000, you may be eligible. Note that homes, life insurance policies, burial plots, and your car are not considered in this estimation of assets.

By contrast, Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is funded by Social Security taxes. For this reason, you will only be eligible if you have paid into the fund through your job, resulting in at least 40 work credits. This means that if you have been paying what you consider a lot of Social Security taxes, you can expect higher payments than those who have paid fewer taxes.

To be eligible for SSDI, you must have worked for at least a year after having the disability, and you must expect to have the same disability a year from now. In fact, for both SSI and SSDI, you must meet the following requirements:

• You should expect your disability to last more than a year, and likely end in death
• It must make you incapable of doing the work you did before
• You must not be able to adjust to work in any other industry

Though meeting these eligibility requirements does not mean you will get any payments for sure, it is a start. Contacting a lawyer should be your next move.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida disability lawyers, LaVan & Neidenberg, represent over 5000 disability claimants. Our disability attorneys have experience with cross examining agency-appointed medical and vocational experts and take time when speaking with you about your disability claim. Call us today at 1-888-234-5758 for a FREE legal consultation. There is NO OBLIGATION to hire our firm and there are NO FEES unless one of our trained disability lawyers wins your case.