There's varied amounts of time that it takes for your SSD benefits to begin. If your case is strictly an SSD case, it could take only a month for that benefit to begin. If your case is SSD and SSI combined, it might take more like three months for those benefits to begin because there has to be offset calculations made by Social Security. If your case is strictly an SSI case, it could take four to six weeks for your benefits to begin. And again, these times...
The Social Security Administration determines if you meet their definition of disabled and if you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Your doctor does not decide if you are disabled and eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
It is helpful for your claim for Social Security disability benefits if your doctor is supportive of your claim for benefits. Having a doctor that is supportive makes your case stronger. ...My doctor says I am disabled. Is that enough to qualify for SSD benefits?
Updated June 21, 2024
If your doctor just makes a statement that you are disabled that is generally not enough for you to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits or SSI. What happens is Social Security evaluates the medical records that the doctor writes down when you go for visits or if you’re hospitalized or if the doctor sends you for a test and they order the results of those tests, they looked at your hospital records and they try to decide whether what’s...
If your doctor just makes a statement that you are disabled that is generally not enough for you to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits or SSI. What happens is Social Security evaluates the medical records that the doctor writes down when you go for visits or if you’re hospitalized or if the doctor sends you for a test and they order the results of those tests, they looked at your hospital records and they try to decide whether what’s...
There is no particular amount of time that you have to be not working in order to apply for Social Security Disability but the test of disability for Social Security is whether or not your condition is so severe that you will be unable to work for 12 continuous months. What that means is that you don’t have to wait to be off work for 12 months but you do have to have a serious condition. We regularly help people apply for Social Security disability benefits...
There are provisions for people to try to work while they are waiting for their Social Security Disability decision. They’re a little complicated and they’re very technical. If you perform what is called SGA, that’s substantial gainful activity, then that disqualifies you automatically for Social Security Disability even if your disability is severe, it might ordinarily be considered disablling. So you have to be careful about the level of...