What Is Social Security Disability?

A Professional Firm with experienced Social Security Disability Benefits Attorneys (lawyers) serving the greater Toledo area, Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan areas, including Perrysburg, Toledo, Sylvania, Maumee, Ohio - Temperance, Lambertville, and Monroe Michigan and surrounding areas.

Contact Attorney Robert P. Soto of Billmaier & Cuneo, LLC, today by calling 419.931.0067 (Ohio) or 734.568.0136 (Michigan).

Ideally, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays benefits to you and certain members of your family in the event that you become disabled. In addition, in order to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance, you must be “insured,” meaning that you worked a certain length of time and paid Social Security taxes.

While we spend a great deal of time working to succeed in our jobs and careers, few of us think about ensuring that we have a safety net to fall back on should we become disabled. This is an area where Social Security can provide valuable help to you.

To qualify for benefits, you must have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. Then you must have a medical condition that meets the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. In general, the Social Security Administration pays monthly benefits to people who are unable to work for 12 months or more because of a disability.

Benefits may continue until you are able to work again on a regular basis. There are also a number of special rules, called "work incentives," that provide continued benefits and health care coverage to help you make the transition back to work.

If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits when you reach full retirement age, your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, but the amount remains the same.

Two things can cause the Social Security Administration to decide that you are no longer disabled and to stop your benefits.

  • Your disability benefits will stop if you work at a level the Social Security Administration considers "substantial."

    In 2011, average earnings of $1,000 or more per month ($1,640 or more per month if you are blind) are usually considered substantial.

  • Your disability benefits also will stop if the Social Security Administration decides that your medical condition has improved to the point that you are no longer disabled.

You are responsible for promptly reporting any improvement in your condition, if you return to work, and certain other events as long as you are receiving disability benefits.

Robert P. Soto and the attorneys of Billmaier & Cuneo, LLC are committed to offering individual analyses, early assessment, efficient service and quality representation in a timely manner regarding your Social Security Disability Benefits issues.

Contact Robert P. Soto, an experienced Social Security Disability Benefits Attorney the law offices of Billmaier & Cuneo, LLC. Call 419.931.0067 (Ohio) or 734.568.0136 (Michigan).