For people already receiving or interested in receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) benefits, there are other disability benefits that may affect their SSDI benefits. Private resources, such as private insurance policies, do not affect SSDI benefits, but other types of public disability benefits may reduce SSDI benefits. A Tulsa Social Security Disability attorney can help applicants learn how various disability benefits programs affect one another.
Some of the public disability benefits that might affect SSDI payments include the following: workers’ compensation benefits, state disability benefits and retirement benefits that the government pays due to disability. Benefits that do not affect an applicant’s SSDI benefits include: Veterans Administration benefits, Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits, sick pay and injury settlement money.
The way the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) calculates whether benefits are excessive is to first add together SSDI and other, conflicting benefits. That total amount cannot exceed 80 percent of what an applicant made on average before becoming disabled. Any money that is over that 80 percent limit reduces the amount of SSDI benefits that a person receives.
The SSA uses several different calculations to arrive at an applicant’s average earnings before disability. The formula that the SSA uses depends on each applicant. Additionally, conflicting benefits from other sources often change levels. This too will impact the amount of SSDI that a person receives as well.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers
