When we talk about health problems like anxiety, we often think about doctor’s visits or feeling stressed out. What many might not know is that there’s a special kind of help out there that can put some extra money in your pocket due to your health issues. This help is called SSDI. It’s a bit like a safety net, however, it’s for those that have worked for a while but now find it hard because of their health. In this article, we’re going to chat about how SSDI works, who can get it, and even how some folks with anxiety are getting support. So, if you’ve ever wondered if there’s help out there, keep reading, this is for you!
Do You Have Anxiety? You Could Get Paid!
What a lot of people don’t realize is that their health conditions don’t need to just be hard to deal with. There are financial assistance options available like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) that are able to pay up to thousands per month to eligible recipients. However, when a lot of people think of SSDI, they usually think of certain types of disabilities. They may not realize that common conditions, like anxiety, can also result in financial assistance every month.
Understanding Your Anxiety
Regardless of the condition you have – you need to make sure it meets certain criteria set by the Social Security Administration (SSA). To get SSDI benefits, you need to have worked in jobs recognized by Social Security and have a medical issue that fits their strict disability criteria. Typically, they offer monthly payments to those who can’t work for a year or longer due to their disability. Or, the condition is expected to result in death. You might face a 5-month wait, with payments starting in the sixth month from when your disability started. Interestingly, you could receive up to a year’s worth of benefits retroactively if you met all requirements before applying. These benefits generally last until you’re fit to work regularly. When reaching full retirement age, your disability aid should switch to retirement benefits without any headache.
SSA Eligibility (Work and Disability)
Social Security has its own rules about what counts as a disability. They only help if you can’t work at all because of a health issue that will last a long time (at least a year) or might cause death. They don’t help if you’re slightly disabled or can’t work for a short time. This is because they think families can use other things like insurance or savings for short breaks from work.
Now onto the work requirements. Not just anyone with a serious disability can benefit from SSDI. To get disability benefits, you need to have worked enough under Social Security rules. How do they track your work? Through “work credits.” Every year, you can earn a certain amount of credits for the year. Typically, you’ll need 40 credits to get benefits, with half of those earned in the 10 years before your disability. But if you’re younger, you might need fewer credits.
How to Get $3,822 per Month for Your Condition
The exact number you will be able to get depends on your own personal situation. In 2024, the most you can get from SSDI each month is $3,822. Sounds generous, right? But many folks end up getting less, with the average payout being about $1,537 monthly. The amount you’ll receive is based on your primary insurance amount (PIA), which is determined by how much you’ve contributed to Social Security from your earnings over time. Working out your PIA involves splitting your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) into three parts, each with its own dollar limit that typically goes up every year.
What Other Conditions Qualify for SSDI?
While anxiety is one common condition that may result in getting SSDI benefits, there are other conditions to be aware of as well:
- Diabetes
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Hearing loss
- Drug addiction
- Depression
The fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter what condition you have, as long as it meets the SSA’s requirements of how severe the condition is.
Overall
Health challenges like anxiety aren’t just tough to handle emotionally; they can also pinch your wallet. But, there’s a bit of good news. If you’ve been working for a while and now find it hard to continue because of health issues, SSDI might be your new best friend. It’s not just a simple helping hand; for some, it’s a real game-changer, offering financial support that can go up to thousands per month. Whether it’s anxiety, hearing loss, or even depression, the key is that long-term health makes it impossible to do work or handle life normally. It also needs to last for at least a year or be expected to result in death. Remember, you’re not alone, and with SSDI, there’s some genuine support out there to lighten the load.
