Yes, you can qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if your back condition meets the SSA’s Listing of Impairments or prevents you from working at the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level. A diagnosis alone is rarely enough—you need medical evidence that ties objective findings to concrete functional limitations. SSDI vs. SSI – Two Different…
If you receive both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and workers compensation, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will reduce your SSDI payment when the combined total exceeds 80% of your average current earnings (ACD). This is the workers compensation offset, a rule under Section 224 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 424a). For…
At your SSDI hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), you will be asked about your medical conditions, daily activities, work history, and how your impairments limit your ability to work. The judge’s goal is to determine whether you meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of disability using the five-step sequential evaluation process. Unlike…
Yes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) does approve disability benefits for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. But approval depends on meeting strict medical criteria under the SSA’s Blue Book listings (Section 12.00) and satisfying non-medical eligibility rules for SSDI or SSI. For example, under Listing 12.04 for depressive/bipolar disorders, you…
If you’re on SSDI and want to test your ability to work, Social Security gives you a 9-month Trial Work Period (TWP). During those months, you can earn any amount without losing benefits — as long as you don’t exceed the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold after the TWP ends. A trial work month is…
Amending your alleged onset date (AOD) at an SSDI hearing can improve your chances of approval—but only if the new date is backed by clear medical evidence. The strategy works best when your original AOD is too early to be credible (e.g., while you were still working at substantial gainful activity levels) or when medical…
If you apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and live with an ineligible spouse or parent, the Social Security Administration (SSA) counts a portion of that person’s income as yours — even if you never receive a dime. This “deeming” rule follows a specific formula that subtracts personal allocations for the ineligible spouse and any…
To qualify a child for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) under age 18, two separate hurdles must be cleared. First, the child’s household must meet SSI’s income and resource limits (in 2024, the resource limit is $2,000 for an individual child, and parental income is partially “deemed” to the child). Second, the child must have a…
Quick Answer Same‑sex married couples are treated identically to opposite‑sex couples under Social Security law since the 2013 Windsor and 2015 Obergefell rulings. The deemed filing rule (from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015) applies to anyone born after January 1, 1954: you cannot collect spousal benefits alone while your own retirement benefit grows—filing for one automatically…
If you receive a pension from a government job that wasn’t covered by Social Security, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces your spousal or survivor benefit by exactly two-thirds (2/3) of your monthly non-covered pension. This article walks through the formula step by step with concrete examples so you can estimate your actual benefit –…
If your child has a disability that began before age 22, and you die, your child can receive monthly survivor benefits on your Social Security record. The benefit is up to 75% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — the same percentage a surviving child gets — though the actual amount may be prorated under…
The Social Security family maximum caps the total monthly benefits paid to family members on one worker’s earnings record. For self-employed individuals, your net earnings from Schedule SE directly determine your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which sets that cap. A spouse can receive up to 50% of your PIA at full retirement age, and a…
