Social Security Programs

Disability. Most people prefer not to give this uncomfortable word a second thought. Yet the reality is that if you’re 20 years old, you have 30 percent chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement. That number increases with age.

Do yourself a favor. Take two minutes to acquaint yourself with two benefit programs: Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). After all, you’ve been contributing to these funds since your first paycheck. You have the right to know how you can benefit from them.

SSD benefits are based on taxes you’ve paid into the Social Security system. The more you’ve paid the more you’re eligible to receive. In contrast, SSI benefits are determined by need. In some situations an individual can receive both SSD and SSI at the same time.

You may be eligible to receive SSD benefits if you:

• are under age 65 (even if you are receiving retirement benefits),

• are unable to work due to a mental or physical condition that you expect to last more then 12 consecutive months, and

• are currently not working or working very little.

You may be eligible to receive SSI benefits if you:

• are under age 65 — even if you are receiving retirement benefits,

• are unable to work due to a mental or physical condition that you expect to last more then 12 consecutive months,
• you and your spouse have little or no income, and
  
• have under $2,000.00 (individual) $3,000.00 (joint) in resources.

For more information on SSD or SSI please call (585) 663-8071. We are happy to answer your questions or to talk to you about your best course of action.