SSDI, SSI, disability applications, appeals, benefits
A Continuing Disability Review (CDR) is the Social Security Administration’s periodic check to confirm you still meet the medical and non-medical rules for SSDI or SSI. Most recipients face a CDR every three to seven years, but the frequency depends entirely on how likely your condition is to improve. The outcome matters directly to your…
Getting approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) on your first try is absolutely possible, but it requires not only having a serious medical condition. You must meet SSA’s non-medical rules, submit medical evidence that either matches a Blue Book listing or proves you cannot perform any full-time work, and fill out the application completely…
Your SSDI back pay covers the months between your established disability onset date and the date SSA approves your claim—minus a mandatory five-month waiting period. The maximum retroactive period is 12 months before you filed. For most people, payment arrives within 60 days after approval, but state DDS processing times and appeals can stretch that…
If your initial SSDI or SSI claim and reconsideration appeal were denied, your next step is a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). The judge asks about your medical condition, daily activities, pain, and work history. A vocational expert (VE) then testifies about jobs you could still perform. Most claimants lose credibility not because…
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) eligibility in 2025 depends on two hard caps: countable income must fall below the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR), and countable resources must not exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. The 2025 FBR will be announced in October 2024 when SSA releases the COLA percentage—using 2024 figures, the…
Quick answer SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) are two separate federal disability programs. SSDI is an earned benefit based on your work history and FICA taxes. SSI is a needs-based program based on limited income and assets – no work credits required. You can receive both (concurrent claim), but SSI…
Yes, you can work part time while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and keep your benefits – but the rule is based on monthly earnings, not hours worked. For 2024, non‑blind SSDI recipients can earn up to $1,550/month without crossing the substantial gainful activity (SGA) threshold. Blind recipients have a higher limit of $2,590/month….
SSDI reconsideration—the first appeal after an initial denial—typically takes 3 to 7 months from the date you file, depending on where you live. The national average is about 4 to 6 months, but processing times vary widely because each state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) runs its own caseload. You can check the most recent state-by-state…
If the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied your disability claim, you have 60 days from the date you receive the denial notice to file an appeal. Missing that window means you lose your protective filing date and any retroactive benefits—often thousands of dollars. Your first move: read the denial letter’s “Evaluation of Disability” section to…
Social Security uses the Listing of Impairments (the Blue Book) as its medical standard for disability. If your medical records show objective test results that exactly match a listing, you are found disabled at Step 3 of the 5-step sequential evaluation and can receive SSDI or SSI benefits. The critical distinction: a diagnosis alone will…
The number of SSDI work credits you need depends entirely on your age when your disability began. For example, a worker disabled at age 27 may qualify with as few as 6 credits (roughly 1.5 years of work), while someone disabled at age 60 typically needs 40 credits (10 years). You also must have earned…
The SSA caps attorney fees for disability claims at the lesser of 25 percent of past-due benefits or $7,200 for 2025. If your back pay is $28,800 or less, your lawyer gets 25%. If it exceeds $28,800, the fee is capped at $7,200—even if 25% would be higher. This fee structure applies only to past-due…
