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Work credits are important if you file for disability

On Behalf of | Sep 3, 2018 | social security disability |

Becoming disabled is a tragic situation for many workers. When you are accustomed to working for a living, it can be difficult to adjust to being unemployed. For some workers, meeting the definition of being disabled according to the Social Security Administration may qualify them for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.

In order to qualify for disability, you must not be able to do the job you were doing before. Additionally, you must prove you can’t perform any other substantial gainful employment due to the medical condition. The disability that you suffer from must be expected to last at least 12 months.

There are several factors that can impact whether you qualify for disability or not. One of these is that you must have enough work credits. You can earn up to four of these per year from income due to wages or self-employment.

Typically, you will need to have 40 credits with 20 of those being earned in the previous 10 years. The exact amount of income you need to earn varies from one year to another. You will need to earn $1,320 to receive one credit in 2018.

It is sometimes possible for you to have a lower number of credits if you become disabled at a young age. Finding out how many you need might determine how you proceed with your case.

Getting approved for disability isn’t usually a quick process. You should be prepared to “hurry up and wait.” In some cases, you might need to appeal a decision if you don’t think it is the correct one for your situation.