Busted! Don’t Believe These Myths About Social Security Disability!

Very often, people work for many years, but due to a severe medical condition or injury, they may be unable to continue their job. If you have a long-term disability that inhibits your ability to work, you are entitled to receiving Social Security Disability benefits.

Unfortunately, there are many complicated rules and requirements needed to qualify for these programs, which if not adhered to properly could prevent you from receiving income. An attorney is your best possible chance of being approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). They can provide you with the understanding and strong legal representation that you need to succeed in your claim.

Even though Social Security Disability Insurance can benefit you and a few members of your family, there are many false notions and misconceptions surrounding these programs. To separate fact from fiction and ensure that you are correctly informed about SSDI, Phillips and McCrea, PLLC has dispelled three of the most widely believed myths about Social Security Disability.

Myth 1: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is the same as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). 
Both these programs are commonly believed to be one program. People often mistake SSI or Supplemental Security Income as disability and confuse SSI for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). While it is true that you need to be disabled to qualify for SSI, it is really a need-based financial program for those individuals who don’t have any work history in the past ten years and are unable to work. SSDI is a disability program for workers who have paid into payroll tax reductions while working for at least five out of the last ten years and can no longer work due to a disabling condition.

Myth 2: You get Social Security Disability Insurance for life. 
It is possible to be on Social Security Disability Insurance for life, but it’s not automatic. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine your medical condition and review it periodically. If your health is expected to improve, the first review will typically be six to eighteen months after the date you first became disabled. If improvement is possible but unpredictable, the reviews are usually done every three years. If you’re not expected to improve, reviews are typically done every seven years.

Myth 3: Undocumented immigrants collect Social Security.
My parents receive Social Security, and both commented on the financial health of Social Security. Though not them, many people believe undocumented immigrants are draining the system’s resources. The reality of the matter is that undocumented immigrants are not allowed to claim Social Security benefits. It is also true that these workers and their employers pay payroll taxes that benefit the bottom line of Social Security. It is also notable that Social Security nets around twelve billion dollars from undocumented workers and their employers.

If you need an attorney to apply for Social Security benefits, reach out to Phillips and McCrea, PLLC. We are an injury and family law firm in Charlotte, NC, committed to treating our clients with the utmost respect and providing them with the highest quality legal service. Our primary practice areas include Social Security Disability, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Workers Compensation and Family Law.

To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. If you have any questions about Social Security Disability Insurance, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us here.

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