SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS QUALIFIERS

DO I QUALIFY FOR SSI Disability?

Direct Eligibility

You may be eligible for monthly Social Security disability benefits if you are any of the following:

• A disabled insured worker who has not reached full retirement age;
• A retired insured worker age 62 or over;

Eligibility as a Spouse

The spouse of a retired or disabled worker is entitled to benefits who:

• Is age 62 or over; or
• Has in care a child who is either under age 16, or over age 16 and disabled, who is entitled to benefits on the worker's Social Security record.

The divorced spouse of a retired or disabled worker is entitled to benefits if the spouse is at least 62 and married to the worker for at least 10 years;

The divorced spouse of a fully insured worker who:

• Has not yet filed a claim for benefits, if both you and your ex-spouse are at least 62;
• Was married for at least 10 years; and
• Has been finally divorced for at least two years in a row.

The surviving spouse (including a surviving divorced spouse) of a deceased insured worker if you are age 60 or older;

The disabled surviving spouse (including a surviving divorced spouse in some cases) of a deceased insured worker if you are age 50-59 and become disabled within the period specified;

The surviving spouse (including a surviving divorced spouse) of a deceased insured worker, regardless of age, if you are caring for an entitled child of the deceased who is either under age 16 or disabled before age 22; or

Eligibility as a Dependent

The dependent, who is an unmarried child of a wage earner who is retired, disabled, or a deceased insured worker is entitled to benefits if he or she is:

• Under age 18;
• Under age 19 and a full-time elementary or secondary school student; or
• Age 18 or older but under a disability which began before age 22.

Parents Eligibility

The dependent parents of a deceased insured worker age 62 or over.

Austin personal injury law firm Bemis Roach & Reed provides legal services to individuals throughout the State of Texas. Our board certified insurance attorneys also assist individuals and families nationwide with their Social Security Disability benefits claims. If you or someone you know has been denied disability benefits, call toll free (866) 433-4979 for a free personal consultation.