The Social Security benefits system can be very confusing. That’s why so many people are out there giving you advice that often doesn’t apply to your situation. However, there are answers to every one of your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) questions, as long as you know the right people to ask.
4 SSDI Questions That You Need The Answers To
- Will claiming Social Security Disability mess up my future retirement benefits? There’s a lot of confusion about whether SSDI interferes with your Social Security retirement benefits. However, you shouldn’t worry. SSDI provides full retirement benefits to those who find themselves disabled before they reach full retirement age. That means that claiming SSDI can actually prevent you from claiming Social Security early, which is what can actually hurt your retirement benefits.
- Can I get Social Security benefits and claim unemployment? There’s no regulations saying you can’t, but you really shouldn’t. SSDI is meant for when you’re unable to work for an extended period of time. Unemployment is meant for people who can work, but can’t find a job for reasons outside their control. Usually, qualifying for one of these benefits means you don’t fit the requirements for the other.
- Does my spouse’s income disqualify me from claiming SSDI Benefits? That depends on whether you’re under 65 and if you’ve worked and paid Social Security taxes for 10 or more years. You see, SSDI is not a federal welfare program. The program is meant for people under retirement age who can’t work anymore due to a physical or mental impairment. Think of it like an extra branch of Social Security retirement—it’s available to anyone with a disability who is unable to work, who also has paid into the system for long enough.
- I’m getting disability payments from my former employer, should I still apply for SSDI? That depends on how much your disability payments are. As long as you meet the requirements for Social Security Disability benefits, you can claim them. However, your amount of benefits could be reduced due to your household income and assets.
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