Tennessee SSDI Lawyers and Different Types of Benefits

The federal government has several different benefits programs that are designed to provide help to those who need it. These programs vary based on the situations that those who ask for the help are in, but one of the most wide-ranging is a program administered by the Social Security Administration, or SSA, which is known as Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. SSDI provides financial benefits for several different situations where people are simply unable to generate income by themselves.

Below you'll find descriptions of five of the different types of benefits available through the SSDI program, including disability benefits, death benefits, spousal benefits, benefits for children and Medicare. Of course, anyone who finds themselves in a situation where they need to apply for these benefits should seek the immediate help of experienced Nashville, Tennessee SSDI lawyers.

Social Security Disability Benefits

There are people who because of some form of disability – whether it's physical or mental in nature – are unable to hold down gainful employment either temporarily or they are disabled on a permanent basis. The SSA has disability benefits available for each of these situations, and one is known as SSD, or Social Security Disability, and the other is known as SSI, or Supplemental Security Income.

SSD is a benefits program that is available to people who are disabled for a period of at least 12 months but who generally have worked and earned income in the past. They can apply for financial benefits from the SSA to help them get by financially until they are ultimately able to return to work and generate enough income to survive on their own.

SSI is a bit different in that it's a program of financial benefits that is available to people who are simply unable to work for any period of time and for whom holding down any sort of gainful employment in the future is impossible. As is the case with SSD, those who need SSI benefits must go through a lengthy application and approval process in order to start receiving these benefits.

Tennessee SSDI – Death Benefits

Social security death benefits are available to the surviving family members of a worker in the United States who has held a job and worked for at least 10 years prior to his or her death. The applicant must accrue at least 40 credits, and a worker earns one credit per quarter. These payments can be made in a one-time lump sum or dispersed over a period of time in monthly installments.

Generally, these death benefits are based on the amount of social security retirement benefits that the worker who has passed away would have been entitled to receive, and this is based on the person's age at the time of death so that a percentage of the benefits that would have been available can be derived.

Social Security Disability Insurance – Spousal Benefits

Spousal benefits are available from the SSA in much the same way that death benefits are available. However, the obvious difference is that these benefits are limited to the surviving spouse and are not available to other surviving members of the family. However, there are certain qualifications that must be met.

For instance, a surviving spouse must be at least 62 years old in order to receive these benefits, unless he or she is currently caring for a child under the age of 16 or a child of any age who is disabled. In addition, a divorced spouse could be eligible for benefits if he or she was married to the worker who has passed away for at least 10 years and is at least 62 years old and unmarried at the time the benefits are received.

SSD Child Benefits in Tennessee

There are several ways in which a child could be eligible for social security benefits. In the case of a child that is dependent upon the parent who has paid into the social security fund and who is receiving benefits, that child could also obtain benefits on top of what his or her parent is already receiving. In addition, children of a widow or widower who is receiving social security death benefits could also receive additional funds from the SSA.

Aside from the benefits available because of family members, children can also be eligible for disability benefits if certain criteria are met. These benefits fall under the SSI program and are available to children who are disabled and who will never be able to hold down gainful employment for any period of time.

TN Social Security Disability and Medicare

Medicare is a federally subsidized program for medical care that is available for more people than just those who are over the age of 65. People who are younger than 65 can also be eligible for Medicare if they have applied for and been approved for SSDI payments because they are disabled.

However, those who obtain Medicare eligibility must have been receiving SSDI benefits in some form for at least 24 months prior to becoming eligible for this subsidized form of medical insurance coverage. There are exceptions to this 24-month rule, including those when the recipient of SSDI benefits has contracted Lou Gehrig's Disease or has kidney or renal failure. Those who suffer from these conditions can obtain these benefits the same month they begin to receive SSDI benefits.

Our Nashville SSDI Attorneys Can Help

As can be seen, there are many different options for benefits from the Social Security Administration. However, the process of obtaining these benefits can be difficult and time-consuming. If you would like to give yourself the best chance possible for a quick approval of these benefits, contact the Nashville SSDI lawyers at Michael D. Ponce & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.