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Are There Additional Benefits for People with Disabilities?

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Written by True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®
Updated on March 31, 2021

Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration pays out benefits to two basic types of recipients: retirees and their families and disabled persons.

Disabled recipients must be able to meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability (which can be very difficult to do in many cases; over half of all SSDI applications are rejected each year for this reason).

Disability Income

Disability income is paid out to qualifying recipients whose disability is expected to last for at least a year or end in death.

The SSA will monitor the recipient’s health condition on a periodic basis to make sure that he or she is still eligible to collect benefits.

Disability is not necessarily a permanent condition in the eyes of the SSA.

But workers who are terminated from their jobs before they retire because of a health condition can apply for SSDI and thus possibly prevent themselves from having to apply early for Social Security retirement benefits.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another program geared towards providing for disabled persons who have little or no financial means of support.

This special program requires that applicants must also apply for Social Security Disability (SSDI) at the same time in order to qualify for this benefit.

Are There Additional Benefits for People with Disabilities FAQs

Social Security is a governmental program that provides retirement benefits, disability income, survivor’s benefits and supplemental security income for those who are eligible.

As a worker to be eligible for benefits you must be at least age 62 (or be disabled or blind), and you must have enough work credits to qualify for benefits.

Taxes on your social security benefits will be based upon your combined income for the year. Combined income is defined as: Adjusted gross income + non-taxable interest income + ½ of your Social Security benefits. Based on your combined income for the year, 50% or 85% of your Social Security benefit could be subject to taxation for the year.

Medicare is a publicly-available health insurance program, whereas Social Security is a governmental program that provides retirement benefits, disability income, survivor’s benefits and supplemental security income for those who are eligible.