Should You Get Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits?
When bad health keeps you from working, you may feel you have nowhere to turn. As the bills mount up, so too does your anxiety.
There is hope. The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs two programs that provide financial relief to Americans with job-ending disabilities.
They are:
These are great resources when your financial situation is dire, and your health has derailed your ability to earn a livable income.
But what’s the difference between SSI and SSDI?
When it comes to your health problems, there’s little difference. You must have a medical condition that has, or will, prevent you from working for at least a year.
The differences between the two disability benefits programs are in your past work history and your financial circumstances.
And regardless of whether you apply for SSDI or you file for SSI, Social Security doesn’t make it easy. It is a giant government agency that throws up a ton of rules and regulations that you must meet to qualify for assistance.
For people in Chicago, Nash Disability Law can be a fierce champion to win you the benefits you deserve.
We can help you figure out which program—SSDI or SSI—––you may qualify for based on your situation. And we do it at no upfront cost to you.
Nash Disability Law is one of the top disability law firms in the country by the amount of benefits won for clients. We’ve helped thousands of people.
WE’VE HELPED MORE PEOPLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA WIN BENEFITS THAN ANY OTHER LAW FIRM.
How Can I Tell If I Qualify for SSI or SSDI?
The main difference between eligibility for SSDI or SSI comes down to your work history.
- SSDI provides disability benefits to people who have a substantial recent work history and paid Social Security taxes through their paychecks.
You made those payments not only for retirement benefits, but just in case a health crisis like the one you’re now facing should ever pop up.
- SSI is available to people who have not been able to consistently work for a long time, if ever, and have very limited financial resources.
In general, that means as an individual you don’t earn more than $1,971 each month and no more than $963 from a pension or other non-work source. (As of 2024.)
If you’re married, both you and your spouse together can’t earn more than $2,915 per month or collect more than $1,435 from non-work sources.
Children under 18 —or 22 if they’re still in school—who have qualifying conditions, and their families meet SSI’s economic requirements, can also be eligible for SSI childhood benefits.
Call Nash Disability Law and find out today if these programs could help you.
In the Benefits You Get, what’s the Difference Between SSDI and SSI?
Similar to how SSDI and SSI have different qualifications for eligibility, they also pay out different amounts of disability benefits.
Because SSDI is based on how long you worked and how much you earned, your disability benefits can vary widely.
Private disability insurance insurance or workers’ compensation benefits may also affect the size of your monthly SSDI disability checks.
The maximum amount a person could receive under SSDI starting in 2024 was $3,822 a month. But that’s really only for the top earners. On average, SSDI pays out closer to $1,500 a month.
SSI generally pays less. In order to qualify, you most likely didn’t pay much into Social Security, so SSI isn’t based on past earnings.
The maximum SSI payment for a qualified individual in 2024 was $943 a month. For a couple it was $1,415 per month. The amounts can be reduced if you have other sources of income, including food and housing provided by others.
You also get help with your health care costs when you qualify for either SSDI or SSI.
With SSDI, you get access to Medicare health coverage after a waiting period. With SSI, you get access to Medicaid immediately.
When you’re in tight financial straits, every dollar and bit of assistance helps.
To work with a Chicago disability lawyer at Nash Disability Law on getting benefits and financial peace, you don’t pay an attorney fee.
Your attorney only gets paid when you do.
Let us help you start a more stable, secure path.
