Legal Representation
In Warren, Michigan

Could you be making a mistake on your SSD application?

SSD applications can be denied if applicants did not list all of their disabilities or if they are earning too much money.

Many people in Michigan need Social Security disability benefits to make ends meet. However, the application process is not exactly simple. In fact, it can be complicated, and many applications are denied on the applicants’ first try.

Here is a look at some mistakes that could lead to someone not receiving benefits.

Filing for unemployment

In some situations, it might be okay to file for unemployment benefits while waiting on a SSD application to be approved. In fact, since the wait to be approved for SSD can stretch to more than a year, quite a few people turn to other avenues to find income.

The problem is that SSD is for people who cannot do the same kind of job they used to or who are in a transition period between different job types. Meanwhile, unemployment benefits are for people who purport to be fully capable of working. They want to work. They say they are physically and mentally capable of it. They are just unemployed. Thus, when the Social Security Administration picks up on the fact that an SSD applicant is on unemployment benefits, the applicant could be deemed eligible to work.

If someone applies for both SSD and unemployment, it is frequently a good idea to do so with the help of a lawyer.

Filing with a disability that does not qualify

Many disabilities qualify an applicant to receive SSD. Not all do, though. A lawyer can help a prospective applicant figure out early on if his or her disability qualifies and possibly save lots of time and frustration. A lawyer can also help determine if there could be multiple disabilities in the picture. For example, depending on the applicant’s job, having to use a wheelchair after a car wreck might not be enough for SSD. However, that plus depression stemming from the car wreck just might. Many people do not realize this and may simply write down the physical injury.

Working too much

It is possible to work and still qualify for SSD or to keep receiving SSD. For example, a trial period lets people on SSD work for a minimum of nine months, making more than $840, and earn their full benefit.

However, if someone applies for SSD benefits and SSA staffers see income above a certain level, the application could be denied. In 2017, this amount is $1,170 except in the case of blindness. Then, the amount is $1,950. In other words, if Person A is applying on the basis of a disability that is not blindness and earns $1,400 a month from a job, the application stands to be denied .

Many considerations go into determining whether to approve an application for SSD in Michigan. Consulting with a lawyer can help an applicant’s chances of approval.