How do Social Security disability payments work?
- How does Social Security work?
- Does Social Security cover retirees only?
- How does my work now equal benefits later?
- Am I eligible for Social Security benefits?
- How do I know I'm getting credit for the years I worked?
- What about my eligibility for Medicare benefits?
- When can I start getting payouts?
- Why should I wait past age 62 to start collecting?
- How much will my payouts be if I collect at 62?
- How much will my payments be if I wait until age 70?
- Can I start collecting benefits if I'm still working?
- What's the best age to start getting payouts?
- How big will my payouts be?
- What if I want to work part-time in retirement?
- Will my spouse and kids receive benefits when I die?
- How do Social Security disability payments work?
- Will I get taxed on my Social Security payouts?
- Will Social Security still exist when I retire?
- How does Social Security fit into my retirement plan?
Your eligibility for these benefits works on the same credit system as for retirement payouts, but there are slightly different rules about who is eligible. Eligibility for disability benefits depends on how old you are when you become disabled, as well as the nature of your disability. You can't qualify for disability benefits if you are able to work and earn more than $940 a month (in 2008). Your disability also must be considered severe enough to affect your everyday work-related activities. Check out the online version of the process the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to decide whether or not you qualify as disabled.
Disability benefit payments start only after you have been disabled for five months, and they continue until your condition has improved enough that you can start working again. To estimate your disability payments, check out the online benefits calculator offered by the SSA.
If your adult child is disabled before the age of 22, he or she can qualify for benefits based on your earnings record. Anyone who becomes disabled after turning 22 needs to pass the recent work test, a measure of how many years of work you have performed depending on your age. Details of the test are available here.
If you are still receiving disability insurance by the time you reach full retirement age, your payments switch over to retirement benefits. The amount of your payments remains the same.
