| Two programs are being enacted by the | | | | disability and can no longer work at all |
| federal government, which provides | | | | or hold down his/her present work, |
| benefits for individuals with | | | | provided that he / she has remitted |
| disability. Collectively, these programs | | | | adequate FICA taxes. |
| are being referred to as "Social | | | | Under the SSDI, different kinds of |
| Security disability benefits." | | | | benefits are provided for family members |
| • Social Security Disability Insurance | | | | when their major wage earner have |
| Benefits Program or SSDI Benefits - | | | | acquired a disability or died. |
| authorized by the Social Security Act, | | | | The SSDI program is being financed by |
| Title II and is geared towards providing | | | | the Social Security taxes being paid by |
| benefits to workers with disability and | | | | employees, employers and self-employed |
| or their dependents and surviving | | | | individuals. SSDI benefits can be paid |
| spouses or children. | | | | to workers with disability, widows or |
| • Supplemental Security Income program | | | | widowers, and children or disabled since |
| or SSI - authorized by the Social | | | | childhood adults if they are eligible. |
| Security Act, Title XVI and aimed at | | | | Availing SSDI benefits |
| giving benefits to individuals with | | | | The Social Security has a particular |
| disability whose assets and income are | | | | definition of disability that need to be |
| below a particular level. | | | | met in order to become eligible to |
| History of Social Security Disability | | | | receive SSDI benefits. The main |
| Insurance (SSDI) Benefits | | | | requirement to gain medical eligibility |
| It was in the year 1935 when the U.S. | | | | under the SSDI program is the inability |
| federal government set up a program | | | | by an individual to perform any kind of |
| geared towards providing elderly | | | | Substantial Gainful Activity or SGA for |
| employees of commercial and industrial | | | | 12 months or more. |
| sectors with retirement benefits. The | | | | This medical definition of disability is |
| scheme of this program is enacted | | | | also the requirements used to become |
| through the Federal Insurance | | | | eligible under the Supplemental Security |
| Contributions Act or FICA, setting up a | | | | Income (SSI) program. |
| federal retirement fund that the | | | | Determining disability |
| employees are required to pay into. The | | | | The person with disability should have |
| employees remit into this fund through a | | | | been unable to perform SGA due to an |
| regular deduction on their salary. | | | | impairment affecting the physical or |
| It is the Social Security and the | | | | mental capacity and is medically |
| Medicare programs that are funded after | | | | determinable. The impairment can also |
| the withdrawal of FICA tax from the | | | | either be expected to last continuously |
| employees' salaries. Meanwhile, | | | | for at least 12 months or result in |
| self-employed citizens can contribute to | | | | death. |
| the FICA because of the federal tax | | | | Receiving benefits |
| returns. | | | | After meeting the requirements given by |
| By 1956, some protection policies | | | | the disability evaluation and the |
| covering the "involuntary retirement" | | | | disability is already proven, the |
| options on the basis of disability were | | | | payments of SSDI benefits will commence. |
| established. An individual, even if he / | | | | The beneficiary needs to wait for a |
| she has been forced to stop working | | | | period of 5 months since it is during |
| because of a disability may still have | | | | the sixth month after the disability |
| access to the disability insurance. It | | | | began that benefits payment start. It |
| would depend, however, on the period he | | | | will continue up to the second month's |
| she have paid FICA taxes. | | | | end of the disability. |
| Objectives of SSDI | | | | Become more informed about Social |
| The main objective of the SSDI is to | | | | security insurance benefits with the |
| replace the regular income being | | | | help of Los Angeles Social Security |
| received by people who have acquired a | | | | Attorneys. |