Many people in Georgia find themselves in a seemingly impossible situation. They want to keep working, but their injuries and illnesses prevent them from doing so. These people are forced to retire early, and claim their retirement benefits early, thereby reducing their income for the rest of their lives and making it harder to support themselves.
One thing you may be able to do if you are over the age of 62 and struggling with a serious health condition, is to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. If you qualify for SSDI benefits, you will be able to collect these benefits until you reach full retirement age. With SSDI benefits, you don’t have to claim your retirement benefits early and therefore won’t reduce your income
Your SSD benefits will equal your benefits once you reach full retirement, so you will make more per month than you would have if your retirement benefits started early. When it comes time for the Social Security Administration to determine how much you will receive each month in SSD benefits, the SSA will consider all your years of earning. However, if you are eligible for a disability freeze, they will discount the years where you earned less due to your disability and will therefore award you more each month.
Qualifying for SSD benefits is not easy, and the application process can be complicated. It is your job to make sure you provide the SSA with all the information they need to determine your disability status, including medical records, employment records and other documentation. A Social Security Disability attorney can help you avoid the common pitfalls of the application process and help you get the benefits you deserve.
