Social Security Disability Benefits At A Glance

Social Security taxes are typically deducted from you with every paycheck that you receive from your employer. Most people utilize Social Security for retirement benefits that they can take advantage of when they reach retirement age. However, there is also a certain portion of your Social Security tax that can be used for a disability plan. Federal law states that in the event of an injury or some type of illness or disease that effectively hinders your ability to work, you can claim some Social Security benefits even though you have not reached retirement age yet. These disability benefits are designed to give you a source of income when you are not able to work.
Disability is defined by the Social Security Act as the inability to engage in any income generating activity because of a physical or mental condition that can either result in death or will last for a period of not less than 12 months. Many people seem to be confused about when they can apply for Social Security disability benefits and when they can begin collecting payments. The fact is that you should apply for disability as soon as possible, even on the first day of your disability if you can mange to do so. This is because the process can take a lot longer than anticipated, and waiting too long before you apply may mean delaying your benefits even longer, as well as risking the chance of lost benefits. Keep in mind that even with the help of an experienced Social Security lawyer, the claim process can still take a long time. In addition, will also have to be unable to work for at least 5 full months before you can begin receiving disability benefits.
Some people have also wondered why the entire process takes so long, in some cases lasting for more than a year. Even enlisting the help of a Social Security lawyer does nothing to speed up the process. While it is understandably quite frustrating to be out of work and at the same unable to claim any benefits, the huge backlog of Social Security cases results in this inordinate delay. Social Security cases are typically processed on a first come, first served basis, which means that you have no choice but to wait it out. In certain states in fact, the entire process has been known to take anywhere from eighteen months up to two years in order to get a hearing.

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