Every adult wants to work, earn their own living, and support the people they love. But when illness or injury strikes, it’s not always possible to keep working your job—or any job at all. The government recognizes this and created Social Security Disability (SSID) benefits as a safety net.
But in Kennesaw, like much of the nation, SSID benefits are often denied even if you are eligible. Don’t face a complex government bureaucracy alone. Talk to a Kennesaw Social Security Disability lawyer.
John Foy & Associates knows how to help. We have a history of over 20 years of helping people like you get approved for SSID. We believe that government should work for the people, not against them—and we are on your side.
We will cut through the red tape, put together the strongest documentation possible, and guide your application through the system. Let us give you a FREE consultation to get you started.
Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
Who Qualifies for SSID in Kennesaw?
SSID is a federal program that was created to help people who have worked but no longer can because of a medical condition. That means that just having a health problem isn’t always enough to qualify. Instead, you also have to prove a work history.
The way they do this is through “work credits.” Work credits are basically just points that represent how much you have worked, on average, over the course of any given year. If you worked a traditional job prior to your health condition, these credits were added up based on the income reported in your paycheck, when Social Security deductions were taken out.
If you were self-employed, the credits were based on your annual Social Security taxes. Basically, the more hours you worked, the more credits you have.
To qualify for SSID you need to have earned at least 20 credits in the 10 years prior to your condition. You do not need to have worked full-time to meet this requirement—even part-time work often adds up to enough.
Additionally, you need to have proof that you have been diagnosed with a medical condition that prevents you from working.
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What If I didn’t Work Full Time, or I’ve Had Spotty Employment?
If you worked at all, there’s a good chance you still qualify. Remember:
- SSID looks at the last 10 years, not just your most recent employment
- Part-time, seasonal, and occasional employees also earn credits
- Many people earn the maximum credits per year even if they don’t work full time
To see how you qualify, let’s look at how credits are actually added up. Currently you get one credit for every $1,320 you earn in a year (up to a maximum of 4 credits/year). That means you ear maximum credits even if you earn only $5,280 per year. Many part-time and seasonal workers earn this much.
And you don’t have to earn the maximum every year. Because you can earn 4 credits in a good year, you can reach the requirements for SSID even if you only worked 5 out of the last 10 years.
Don’t sell yourself short. When we help someone get approved, it’s rare that they had year after year of full-time employment. Many people qualify even if they’re worried they won’t.
How does the SSID System Decide If My Health Condition “Prevents Me from Working”?
This is the most confusing part of SSID for most people. The truth is, it’s very hard to predict whether your condition will “count” unless you’re a professional who knows the SSID system. But here’s what you should know:
- If your condition is terminal, it counts.
- If it’s not terminal, it still counts if it stops you from working and doctors expect it to last a year or more.
Obviously, that second category is fuzzy. Almost any condition could prevent you from working if it’s severe enough. So the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses three criterion to decide what counts:
- Certain severe conditions always count. Kidney failure, for example, automatically qualified for SSID.
- The SSA also has a list. This list includes all “disabling” conditions, or conditions that are known to prevent some people from working. If your condition is included, you will have an easier time proving your case. We can help you determine whether your situation counts as one of these conditions.
- Otherwise, you need proof. Not only do you need to prove that you can’t work, you will need much more detailed documentation showing that your condition is the reason you can’t work. The SSA is picky, and having a lawyer do the paperwork for you goes a long way toward helping get you approved.
What Can a Kennesaw Social Security Disability Lawyer Do for Me?
A lawyer can help you in three main ways:
- Taking complex paperwork off your hands. At times, just figuring out what documentation the SSA wants feels like a guessing game—let alone getting it right. We make the process easy.
- Maximizing your chance of approval. Most applications get rejected simply because they didn’t have the right evidence. We know what the SSA wants and we can make sure it’s in your application the first time we submit.
- Appealing a rejection. If your application was declined, you have a chance to appeal it—but you need to make it stronger first. We know how to turn applications around so that they get approved on appeal.
Whether you hire a lawyer or not, it never hurts to sit down for a free consultation—and it can substantially help your case.
Talk to a Kennesaw Social Security Disability Lawyer for Free
The government can take months to decide on an SSID application—and that’s just the first round. Don’t risk facing rejection after rejection when you need money the most. Let us give you a FREE consultation and help you.
Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your free consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form