Social security disability benefits are meant to help, but often they are not enough to survive on. It is best to collect any other benefits you qualify for to help supplement. But, if that is not applicable in your situation, you may have to accept other forms of income, and that income could impact how much you receive from SSDI each month.
Employment Income
If you are able to work and earn regular income, then you may lose your SSDI benefits altogether. That is because to qualify for social security disability, you must be officially “disabled” and that means you cannot perform substantial and gainful work. But, Social Security does allow you to earn a maximum of $1090 per month before any additional income is labeled “gainful employment.”
There are some instances where this income amount may not apply. For example, entrepreneurs who own their own businesses can earn more. But, the SSDI office will look at the number of hours you work, what you do when you work, and how you are able to manage the company. If you’re the owner, but employ managers and have limited work duties, then you could be entitled to SSDI while still earning more than the maximum allowed income.
Other Benefits and Incomes
You are not able to collect more than one Social Security benefit at a time. So, if you are already earning a disability or early retirement payment, then you won’t qualify for another Social Security payment. Supplemental Security Income, something run by state and federal governments, does not count as a Social Security income benefit.
If you collect workers’ compensation benefits while you also collect SSDI, the total of those payments cannot be more than 80 percent of what your average wages were before you were disabled. Therefore, the Social Security office will review how much workers’ compensation you are receiving before granting your SSDI checks. Your SSDI amount may be reduced while you receive workers’ compensation benefits, but once workers’ compensation stops, you can then apply to receive the full SSDI amount.
Consult an SSDI Attorney
Dealing with SSDI payments and benefits is complex. Just because you have other forms of income does not mean you shouldn’t get disability payments. An attorney can help represent your case in front of the SSDI officials and ensure the benefits you deserve are paid out.
Contact the team at Sternberg | Forsythe, P.A. today for a free consultation regarding your social security disability