What Do I Need to Qualify for SSI Benefits in Georgia?
Just telling Social Security that you deserve SSI benefits because of your health issues and limited finances won’t be enough.
To qualify for SSI, you need to back up your disability claim with evidence, including items like:
- Results of medical tests
- Your doctor’s assessment of your everyday functioning
- A list of prescription medications you take, their dosages, and their effects and side effects
- Records of doctor visits and hospitalizations
- Information about which treatments you’ve tried and evidence you’ve stuck to those treatments
- Statements from friends and family who have witnessed your health problems firsthand
- Financial records and bank statements
How do you make it clear that you meet the financial requirements for SSI?
You have to demonstrate that you have less than $2,000 in assets as an individual or $3,000 for a qualifying couple. They haven’t updated these strict standards in a long time.
Certain assets, like the value of your primary home and one vehicle, are excluded from this count, but other financial resources at your disposal can count against you.
Even one-time payments, like an inheritance or insurance payout, can affect your ability to qualify for SSI benefits.
Work with Athens disability lawyers who understand the requirements of this program and the kinds of issues that can trip you up when you try to qualify for SSI in Georgia.
Our team is ready to help you strengthen your disability claim with evidence and build convincing arguments for the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Which Medical Issues Can Qualify for SSI?
Many people wonder if their particular health problems will qualify for disability benefits.
Social Security keeps a specific list of diseases for which they could award disability benefits, along with criteria for evaluating claims for those particular ailments.
That doesn’t mean that you won’t qualify for SSI if your medical condition isn’t on their list. You just need to make it clear that you can’t work due to your health, regardless of your diagnosis.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are a few examples of impairments that can qualify you for SSI benefits:
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Autoimmune diseases
- Back problems
- Blindness
- Bipolar disorder
- Cancer
- COPD
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Heart disease
- Mental health conditions
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
No matter what health issues you suffer from, you’ll have to show Social Security that you can’t work because of your condition and that you meet all of the financial requirements for SSI benefits.
Social Security will look at a complicated assessment of the everyday tasks you can and cannot do, called your residual functional capacity (RFC).
Building a strong disability benefits claim is tough to do on your own, so don’t try to prove you qualify all by yourself. Let the disability attorneys of Silver & Archibald assist you.
Our team has helped thousands of people in Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, and across the state of Georgia fight for the benefits they deserved.
If you think that you qualify for Supplemental Security Income benefits, we want to hear from you.
We’ll help you learn more about this program and see whether SSI or the separate Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits program could best help you build a foundation for a more financially secure future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Qualifying for SSI
If your health prevents you from working and you need financial assistance, you probably have a few questions about qualifying for SSI. Our Georgia Social Security Disability lawyers can answer them. Read on to find answers to some frequently asked questions we hear about SSI disability benefits.
Who is eligible for SSI benefits in Georgia?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) isn’t just a disability benefits program. It’s also a need-based economic assistance program.
That means that you have to show two things in order to qualify for SSI:
- You meet Social Security’s definition of disability
- You meet the financial requirements for this program
The financial requirements for SSI are strict. Individuals can only qualify if they have $2,000 or less in assets, and couples can only qualify if they have $3,000 or less.
Can I qualify for SSI benefits while working?
Disability benefits are for people who can’t work because of their health, but it is possible to qualify for SSI if you work a strictly limited amount. Be aware that if you work too much, Social Security might decide that you can work more and support yourself. That can sink your SSI disability claim.
Can I qualify for SSI if I’m receiving other benefits?
You can qualify for SSI while receiving other types of benefits and financial assistance, including SSDI benefits. Just keep in mind that those benefits will affect how much you ultimately receive in monthly SSI payments.And if you get too much in other forms of financial assistance, it could cancel out your SSI.
Can I receive SSI for a mental illness?
SSI and other Social Security Disability benefits aren’t just for physical ailments. Mental health issues, like anxiety and depression can qualify you for SSI benefits as well. These cases can be trickier than physical impairments with visible evidence of your condition, but it’s possible to win benefits if you can show how your symptoms affect you in everyday life and make it impossible to work.
Get to Know Silver & Archibald Disability Attorneys
Legal cases involving your health struggles are highly personal matters. When you’re looking for help, you want someone who treats you with the personal care, respect, and dignity this moment requires.
Answers to Common Questions About Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability is a huge program with a vast set of rules. As a resource for you as you sort out your disability claim, the disability lawyers at Silver & Archibald have prepared answers to some of the most common questions people have.
Common Disability Benefits Questions »
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