Federal Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration also provides disability benefits to workers. The Social Security laws require that the disability be of the type that will last at least 12 months if the individual is to receive any benefits. Also, there is effectively a six-month waiting period before benefits will begin.

When do benefits begin? A disabled worker is entitled to monthly cash benefits beginning with the first month in which the disabled worker meets all of the following conditions:

• has a qualifying disability as defined by the Social Security Administration (i.e., is unable to perform any job for which the worker is reasonably qualified)
• has filed an application for disabled worker's benefits
• has met the requirements for insured status
• has completed a five-calendar-month waiting period or is exempted from this requirement
• has not attained age 65

When do benefits end? Benefits end when any of the following events occur:

• the individual dies
• the individual reaches retirement age
• the individual returns to work for at least three months

Interaction with other benefits. Social Security disability benefits are reduced by whatever the individual receives from workers' compensation. Benefits, however, are not reduced by what the individual may receive from private insurance.

Work Smart To get more information on how Social Security disabled worker benefits are administered, check out the Social Security Handbook.