Re: disapointed SSI/SSDI

[Guest guest]

I admit I have not had time to read all the posts yet, but some info for you.

- SSDI (Social Security Disability) is the same for all states and is a federal

program.

- SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is also a federal program, but administered

by the

state you live in. The monthly amount of money ranges from 400's in most states

to the

900's is a few.

- for both programs the determinations are completed by the state you live in.

- ALL states have the manuals and regulations they use for disability

determination on-

line or available in their offices for you to read. I highly suggest that if

your state differs

from the Feds, that you read the parts that pertain to you. Also, go to the

www.ssa.gov

site, there is a blue book of disabling conditions and what the Feds consider

disabling.

First consultations with disability lawyers and your local Legal Aid are free,

take advantage.

- The Federal requirement in a disabling condition that is expected to last at

least one

year, and that you can not perform substanial gainful activity ( that would earn

you about

800 dollars a month in income). SSA looks at your capacity to any job, not just

the one

you did. To qualify for SSDI, you need to have 40 quarters of work history and

have

worked 5 years in the past 10 years. This is less if you are under a certain

age limit, even

SSA doesn't expect a 21 year old to have 10 years of work history.

- SSI is for people who do not meet the work requirement or whos SSDI is less

that the

State SSI amount. SSI regulations are different from state to state -- this is

where OHIO is

doing odd things with your determination -- States can and do have different

disability,

income and property requirements for SSI. Especially, in cases where the State

supplements the Federal SSI monies.

- Age, work history, and education are also a factor. A 55 year old with a high

school

diploma who has always done manual labor is treated differently than 28 year old

with a

college degree in accounting.

So, there are lots of differences between the states. Did you say you where

working?

Then go back to the first item SSA looks for in determining disability. " a

disabling

condition that is expected to last at least one year " , add that to working at

all and you will

be hard pressed to prove you cannot work and should be eligible for disabilty.

In

California where I am, if I was working at all, I might as well not have

applied, I know I

would have been turned down. I toughed it out for a long time, it took medical

staff and a

bunch of my friends to make me see that working was destroying what little I had

left of

my joints and tendons.

Hope this helped, email me if you have any questions, I'll answer them on

monday.