Social Security Disability or SSDI is available to Pennsylvania residents who are unable to work in certain situations. It is also available to people with adult disabled children to provide for their care.
Many situations can render residents in Pennsylvania unable to work enough to provide full livable income levels. Our society has some programs in place to help such persons including Easton workers’ compensation for those injured on the job. Social Security Disability also referred to as SSD or SSDI for Social Security Disability Insurance, is another form of assistance available for people who cannot work.
In addition to providing financial compensation directly to people who are unfit for work, SSDI can be claimed by parents of adult children with disabilities that prevent the children from fully caring for themselves.
What are the eligibility requirements?
As with any form of insurance, whether public or private, payment recipients must meet specific eligibility requirements before assistance can be approved or begin. Some of the criteria for persons seeking SSDI for their disabled adult children may be obvious but some may not be.
Following are a few of the primary guidelines that must be met in order to qualify for this form of help:
- Disabled children must be legal adults, meaning they must be at least 18 years of age.
- Disabilities must be fully diagnosed before the children are 22 years old.
- Disabled adult children can be eligible for SSDI if married as long as the spouses are also disabled to at least equal levels.
- Parents can only file claims if they themselves have earned benefits available.
- Disabled adult children are allowed to work as long as their jobs do not pay wages greater than the amount of their approved disability benefits.
Costs such as transportation to and from jobs can be deducted from the total amount of money disabled people can earn and still qualify for SSDI.
Medical diagnoses are required for full acceptance. Some conditions are pre-approved as acceptable reasons for claiming SSDI however benefits may still be able to be received for conditions not on the government’s pre-approved list. In these cases, full and proper medical documentation is imperative.
Disability in Pennsylvania
According to DisabilityPlanningData.com, 12.7 percent of residents in Pennsylvania between the ages of 16 and 64 are disabled. Only 35.1 percent of those persons are employed. In Northampton County, 10.8 percent of people between 16 and 64 are disabled with 42.8 percent noted as employed.
These numbers highlight the great number of people with disabilities who may not be able to work. Assistance such as SSDI can often be critical to help care for such persons.
Filing help can make a difference
The process of filing for SSDI benefits can be involved and complex. Working with an attorney that understands the requirements and forms utilized is a recommended way of improving the chances of being approved.
