At the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance, we understand the challenges you may be facing resulting in the need for disability benefits. We have gathered information to make your application process as smooth as possible. Additional information is available in the Social Security Administration pamphlets, cited below.
Social Security pays benefits to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or is considered a terminal illness. (Disability Benefits. Social Security Administration, 2014. Print.)
To get disability benefits, two requirements must be met:
Social Security divides a work year into four quarters (January through March; April through June; July through September; and October through December).
If you become disabled in or before the quarter you turn age 24, then you generally need 1.5 years of work during the three-year period ending with the quarter your disability began.
If you become disabled in the quarter after you turn age 24 but before the quarter you turn 31, then you generally need to have worked during half the time for the period beginning with the quarter after you turned 21 and ending with the quarter you became disabled.
If you become disabled in the quarter you turn age 31 or later, then you generally need to have worked five years out of the ten-year period ending with the quarter your disability began.
The following information shows examples of how much work you need to meet the “duration of work test”:
| If you become disabled before: Years of work needed: | |
|---|---|
| Age 28 | 1.5 years |
| Age 30 | 2 years |
| Age 34 | 3 years |
| Age 38 | 4 years |
| Age 42 | 5 years |
| Age 44 | 5.5 years |
| Age 46 | 6 years |
| Age 48 | 6.5 years |
| Age 50 | 7 years |
| Age 52 | 7.5 years |
| Age 54 | 8 years |
| Age 56 | 8.5 years |
| Age 58 | 9 years |
| Age 60 | 9.5 years |
| QUESTIONS? Visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 | |
*It can take 3-5 months for an application to be processed.
Make sure to have the following information when applying to make the process quicker and easier:
*If your claim is approved, you will receive a letter in the mail. If you disagree with the decision, you can appeal it.
If you wish to appeal, you must make your request in writing within sixty (60) days from the date you received the letter. (The Appeals Process. Social Security Administration, 2008. Print.)
There are four levels of appeal:
SSI makes monthly payments to people who have low income and few resources, and who are disabled.
Whether you can get SSI depends on your income and the things you own.
You must be a U.S. citizen or national. (Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social Security Administration, 2015. Print.)
Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to fill out an application.
Or call 1-800-772-1213 to make an appointment with a Social Security representative.
If you get SSI, you may be applicable for other things such as:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps) – If everyone in your home is applying for or getting SSI, you can apply for food stamps as well.
Medicaid – helps pay for doctor and hospital bills.
Income Limit for Connecticut (For SSI)
“Countable income” cannot exceed the current benefit rate:
What is counted as income?
Certain income is not included, such as:
The asset limit for an individual is $2,000 and $3,000 for a couple. Assets that are considered for determining eligibility include:
The following assets are not included when determining eligibility:
If persons are married, their spouse’s income and assets are considered for eligibility.
Social Security Disability (SSD) is intended for individuals who have worked long enough to have earned work credits that qualify them to receive disability benefits through the Title II Program, provided that they are found to have met the medical and non-medical criteria. (To receive Title II benefits, a person must not be working at a level that earns SGA level earnings, meaning you are not earning more than $1,090 a month.)
SSI disability, or Title 16 benefits, is intended for those who have never worked, such as children, those who have worked but not enough for SSD, those who were once insured but have lost their insured status because they have not worked enough in recent years, and finally, those who are insured for SSD but would only be entitled to receive a very small benefit amount each month. (What Is the Difference Between Social Security Disability (SSDI) and SSI? Disability Secrets. 2015.)
If a disability applicant has a terminal condition, their disability claim is expedited through the TERI process. TERI designated disability cases are generally passed in less than 30 days. (Social Security Disability Benefits for Terminal Illness (TERI) Patients, Disability Secrets. 2015.)
Questions? Visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772-1213
Special Thanks to Ebony Adams and Lindsay Wasserman for their efforts in making this information available on our website.
Recently diagnosed with a brain tumor? Have questions or need support? Contact us today.