There is a simplified difference between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). First, SSDI is for people who were disabled permanently and cannot work in accordance to the definition provided under the Social Security Act. This meant that the person is not able to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) because of a medically identifiable physical or mental impairment that in the end could lead to the death of the person.


It is also vital that the ailment is expected to last for not less than 12 months. Moreover, he or she must be able to collect sufficient work credits to have an ample amount of money to pay the insurance beforehand.


On the other hand, SSI is provided to poor people. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a set standard to determine if the person is really living below the social norms of the society. He or she must be more than 65 years old, and may be disabled or blind.

 
Making Appeals

In 2009, the SSA had announced that applications for the disability benefits rose close to 17 percent in the whole United States, which is at about 3 million. Moreover, the agency further stated that they expect the number to rise up to 10 percent in 2010 and that meant 3.3 million new applications. 


Taking this logically, it is clear that not all of the claims would be approved by the SSA. Some of them could be rejected.



Giving the benefit of the doubt, those handling the SSA had permitted applicants with rejected benefits claims to file an appeal. An appeal must be done within 60 days based on the date written in the denial letter. An appeal actually has four levels, but this article will focus on the initial application only:

·         Request for Reconsideration (RFR)

This is the primary step in making an appeal. An RFR is a document filed by the applicant and through it, he or she is telling the SSA office that someone other than the previous agent who handled the case should investigate if there really is a disability. The new agent will then review the available documents to see if the claimant is eligible for the social security disability benefits. No hearing will be conducted; nonetheless, if the SSA states that the applicant no longer has a disability, then that person will be required to appear before and explain to the agent. 

Any worker who gets disabled because of a physical or mental ailment may apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Once approved, not only will he or she receive monthly benefits, but also his or her dependents, particularly his or her children.

Every month, nearly 4.4 million children receive around $2.5 billion worth of benefits from their parents who are disabled. They also receive them if one or both their parents are either retired or deceased. Consequently, the amount of benefits they receive would help them sustain the necessities needed for them to live. Such Social Security benefits keep the family’s financial future stable.

If you have a child and you are receiving SSDI benefits, your child can also get benefits as long as your child is:

·         Your biological son or daughter;

·         Your adopted child; or

·         Your dependent stepchild.

The child must also fulfill the following requirements for him or her to receive disability benefits:

·         Must be unmarried;

·         Younger than 18 years old;

·         18 to 19 years old and a full-time student who is not higher than Grade 12; or

·         18 or older and also disabled.

Note that in the fourth requirement, your child’s disability must have started before he or she reached the age of 22.

In applying for benefits for your child, you must present his or her birth certificate and Social Security number, as well as your own SS number. If you are applying for disability benefits for your child, you have to collect medical proof that would help prove his or her disability.

Accordingly, the SSA could give your child’s claim either an approval or a denial. If you disagree with the latter, you can always file an appeal on behalf of your child. In this regard, it is advised that you retain the services of any Los Angeles Social Security Claim Lawyers.