How Ctca Can Help
At CTCA®, each patient is assigned a financial counselor available via phone, email or in person to assist in identifying potential benefits, answer questions and help facilitate the application filing process, whether the patient is applying for SSA disability benefits or other programs.
CTCA financial services staff and social workers understand and appreciate the complexities of this process and the added stress it may cause. Thats why a support structure is in place to help cancer patients sort through the paperwork and regulations.
Emotions run high in every which way just because of the situations patients are dealing with, says Amy Pierce, Financial Services Manager at CTCA in Atlanta, who helps assemble the necessary paperwork for new CTCA patients and connects them with resources to help. I think its just understanding and coping and helping them navigate the situation the best way you can.
Its just trying to really be the solution to the problem in any sense, she adds. We try to take that extra step to help them get the care they need.
If youve been diagnosed with cancer and are interested in a second opinion about your diagnosis or treatment plan, or chat online with a member of our team.
How Much Does Ssdi Pay
The Social Security Administration uses your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings and Primary Insurance Amount to calculate your SSDI benefits. The formula Social Security uses is quite complicated, and most people won’t be interested in trying to calculate their benefits on their own, especially because Social Security can give you a good estimate.
Benefits For Children With Disabilities
A child under age 18 may have a disability, but we don’t need to consider the child’s disability when deciding if he or she qualifies for benefits as a dependent. The child’s benefits normally stop at age 18 unless they are a full-time student in an elementary or high school or have a qualifying disability.
Children who were receiving benefits as a minor child on a parents Social Security record may be eligible to continue receiving benefits on that parents record upon reaching age 18 if they have a qualifying disability.
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Other Payments May Affect Your Disability Benefits
If you receive certain other government benefits, such as workers’ compensation, public disability benefits, or pensions based on work not covered by Social Security , the Social Security benefits payable to you and your family may be reduced.
For more information about how these benefits can affect your Social Security payments, please refer to the following publications:
How Much You Will Receive
The amount of your monthly SSDI benefit is based on your lifetime average earnings covered by Social Security.
If you don’t already have an estimate, you can get your Social Security Statement online with your personal mySocial Security account or use our Benefit Calculators to determine how much you could get if you became disabled right now.
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How Much Work Do You Need
In addition to meeting our definition of disability, you must have worked long enough and recently enough under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits.
Social Security work credits are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income. You can earn up to four credits each year.
The amount needed for a work credit changes from year to year. In 2022, for example, you earn one credit for each $1,510 in wages or self-employment income. When you’ve earned $6,040 you’ve earned your four credits for the year.
The number of work credits you need to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age when your disability begins. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years ending with the year your disability begins. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.
For more information on whether you qualify, refer to How You Earn Credits.
Does The Ssi Payment Amount Vary By State
While the federal benefit rate of $841 is the same throughout the United States, many states add a state supplemental payment onto the federal benefit. The extra state payment varies from $10 to $400, depending on the state. Even within your own state, the supplementary payment can vary depending on whether you’re married or single and what your living arrangement is. For instance, in 2022 , California adds an extra $160 to the monthly SSI payment for people living independently with a kitchen and $247 for those living independently without cooking facilities.
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Does Social Security Send The State Ssi Checks
The SSA administers the state supplement for some states, including California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, so the extra state payment is included in people’s SSI checks in those states.
Other states pay the supplement directly to you, separately from your federal SSI payment. If you live in a state that pays its own supplement, you need to apply for the state disability check directly from a state agency .
If the SSA administers the payment for your state, you apply for it automatically when you fill out an SSI application there’s no need to fill out another form.
For more information, see our article on the state supplementary payment.
Changes To Your Ssdi Amount
Most years, your monthly SSDI payment will go up, thanks to Social Security’s annual cost of living adjustment . You can find the annual COLA here.
Once you’re eligible for Medicare benefits , the cost of Medicare Part B will be taken directly out of your Social Security check. Most people will pay a premium of $158.50 for Part B in 2022, but the amount can be quite a bit higher for those with high income. If you have low income, on the other hand, a Medicare Savings Program can pay your Part B premium.
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What Are Social Security Disability Benefits
Social Security disability benefits come from payroll deductions required by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act to cover the cost of Social Security benefits, such as retirement and spousal and survivor benefits. Some of this funding goes into the Disability Insurance Trust Fund and pays for disability benefits.
According to the Social Security website, to qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must have worked a certain length of time in jobs covered by Social Security. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the past 10 years, ending with the year you became disabled. You must also have a medical condition that meets Social Securitys definition of disability.
SSDI should not be confused with Supplemental Security Income , which pays benefits to those who have financial needs regardless of their work history. Although these two names sound similar, the qualifications to get the payments and what you might receive are very different.
Younger workers may qualify for SSDI with fewer credits.
But How Much Can You Make And Still Keep Getting Your Ssd Benefits
NYDisability.com was founded by Attorney Daniel Berger, an experienced SSD lawyer who fights to help every disabled worker get the absolute highest SSD or SSI benefit payment for which they are eligible. That means ensuring that every SSD and SSI recipient is fully informed about how much they can earn without jeopardizing their benefits. If you have any questions or need help figuring out your maximum income limit considering your excludable expenses, call us at NYDisability today.
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How Much Can I Earn While On Social Security Disability In 2022
The prices consumers pay for groceries and other essential goods have dramatically risen due to inflation. For someone who is disabled and receiving monthly Social Security disability benefits, earnings from a part-time job may be necessary to make ends meet.
The Social Security Administration increased SSD benefits as of the beginning of 2022 through a cost-of-living adjustment of 5.9%. The COLA increase to Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits also increased income eligibility standards making it possible to earn more while receiving disability benefits through SSDI and SSI.
As you read through this explanation of changes to SSD benefits for 2022, pay close attention to new limits on the amount of income you may earn before jeopardizing your eligibility for a continuation of benefits. Remember that a Social Security disability lawyer at Liner Legal Disability Lawyers is available to respond to your questions and concerns about disability benefits and provide skilled representation in all SSDI and SSI matters, including applications and appeals.
Check To See What Your Social Security Cola Increase Amount Is For 2023 Here’s How
A cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security will have an impact on your benefits in the new year.
As a Social Security beneficiary, you likely know you’re getting a big cost-of-living adjustment increase in the new year. If you’ve got an online My Social Security account that you created by Nov. 15, you can now see how much extra you’ll be getting — we’ll explain below how to find the document with your COLA increase. If you don’t have an account, don’t worry. You’ll receive a letter in the mail with this information.
A My Social Security account will show you your current or expected future benefits, based on your expected retirement age and your work history. You can also get documents for filing your taxes, request a benefit verification letter or change your mailing address and other personal information.
Here’s how to access your Social Security benefits online, and what sort of information and features you’ll be able to access with your My Social Security account. If you receive benefits now, here’s the Social Security payment schedule for December. Also, Supplemental Security Income recipients will get their first increased check in December.
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Cost Of Living Increase
The federal SSI amount regularly increases with cost-of-living adjustments each year. The COLA is usually between 1.3% and 2%, but some years it can be as high as 8% or as low as 0%.
For 2023, the COLA is a whopping 8.7%, which increases the maximum federal SSI payment from $841 in 2022 to $914 in 2023. But in 2021, the COLA was only 1.3%, which only added $11 to the monthly federal SSI payment. Read our article on Social Security’s annual COLA for more information.
Get Benefit Verification Letter
Get a benefit letter to show that you receive benefits, have submitted an application, or don’t receive benefits.
This documentation is often needed for loan applications, housing assistance, and other processes that require verification of your income. It may be referred to as a “proof of income letter” or “benefit letter” and is personalized based on the status of your Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare coverage.
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You May Qualify For Legal Assistance
Filing your SSD claim through an attorney makes you 2x more likely to get approved for the max benefit amount within 6 months. Those who apply on their own without legal assistance typically wait 2+ years for their first benefit payment. Even with a 100% P& T rating, Social Security disability for veterans may be difficult to get because the agencys eligibility rules are completely different. However, you can sign up for a free phone call with a Social Security attorney to discuss your claim before you file. Its the fastest and easiest way to get confidential claim advice without ever leaving your house!
All disability attorneys work on contingency. That means if the SSA wont award you benefits, then you pay the lawyer $0 for legal assistance. And if your case wins, then youll only pay a small, one-time fee. Most people who apply with legal assistance through our website qualify for $10,000 in lump-sum back pay as well as monthly benefits.
Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free online benefits evaluation now!
Are Social Security Payments Taxed
Yes and No. First, we are attorneys and not CPAs. Any tax question should be directed at your CPA or your tax preparer.
Generally, the IRS will tax your SSDI benefits when half of your benefits, plus other income, exceeds an income threshold on your tax filing status.
If youre filing single, head of household, married filing separately, or qualifying widower, the threshold is $25,000.
If youre filing married and jointing, that threshold is $32,000. And if youre filing separately but lived with your spouse during the tax year, the threshold is $0
Supplemental Security Income Benefits are not taxable.
Note: Visit irs.gov to learn additional information on paying taxes social security benefits.
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Other Ways You Can Apply
Apply With Your Local Office
You can do most of your business with Social Security online. If you cannot use these online services, your local Social Security office can help you apply. You can find the phone number for your local office by using our Office Locator and looking under Social Security Office Information. The toll-free Office number is your local office.
Apply By Phone
If You Do Not Live in the U.S. Or One of Its Territories
Contact the if you live outside the U.S. or a U.S. territory and wish to apply for retirement benefits.
Mailing Your Documents
If you mail any documents to us, you must include the Social Security number so that we can match them with the correct application. Do not write anything on the original documents. Please write the Social Security number on a separate sheet of paper and include it in the mailing envelope along with the documents.
What Are The Income Limits In Order To Not Qualify For Benefits
If you are currently exceeding the SGA limit of $1350/mo for the year after the disability occurred, then you will not be approved for disability because you wont qualify. But lets say that you did qualify and started receiving benefits. Now, you must be careful not to exceed the income limit calculated above, so you can continue to receive your disability benefits. Unless, of course, you intend to return to full-time gainful activity as an employee or self-employed person if youre capable of doing so.
Most people asking the question, How much can I earn while on social security disability want to stay on disability but also want to take advantage of the trial work incentive to increase their income. Thats certainly okay, but if you choose to do this, its vital that you know your upper limit. While the upper limit is the same for most people, if you receive SSI, social security retirement income, or are self-employed, you have some math to do, and you dont want to get that math wrong. Its certainly advisable to discuss this with a disability lawyer, and they may offer a free consultation.
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Which States Pay Extra Ssi Payments And How Much
While many states pay all SSI recipients some additional money, some states pay the supplement only to SSI recipients who live in nursing homes. For example, Texas pays a $60 supplement to those living in a nursing home and pays nothing to others. Similarly, Georgia pays an extra $20 to those living in nursing homes, and nothing to others. Maine pays only $10 extra, both to those living independently and those living in nursing homes.
A few states don’t pay a supplement at all, including Arizona, North Dakota, and West Virginia. Oregon no longer pays an SSI supplementary payment, but some residents with special needs can receive a cash benefit through the Oregon Supplemental Income Program.
California pays the average highest supplement, making the average payment there $729 per month. Here are the average SSI payments, including the state supplemental amounts, for the next ten states with the most SSI recipients.
SSI Payment Amounts by State
| California | |
| Texas | $598 |
Visit our state SSI disability articles to learn the details of the SSI payment for your state.
Special Rules For People Who Are Blind Or Have Low Vision
We consider you to be legally blind under Social Security rules if your vision cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in your better eye. We will also consider you legally blind if your visual field is 20 degrees or less, even with a corrective lens. Many people who meet the legal definition of blindness still have some sight and may be able to read large print and get around without a cane or a guide dog.
If you do not meet the legal definition of blindness, you may still qualify for disability benefits. This may be the case if your vision problems alone or combined with other health problems prevent you from working.
There are several special rules for people who are blind that recognize the severe impact of blindness on a person’s ability to work. For example, the monthly earnings limit for people who are blind is generally higher than the limit that applies to non-blind workers with disabilities.
In 2022, the monthly earnings limit is $2,260.
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Estimating Your Social Security Disability Amount
In 2022, the average SSDI payment for an individual is $1,358, but almost two-thirds of SSDI recipients receive less than that. And only 10% of SSDI recipients receive $2,000 per month or more.
The 2022 average monthly benefit for an SSDI recipient who has a spouse and children is $2,383.
Because benefit amounts depend on lifetime earnings, there’s a large range in how much Social Security pays. For instance, let’s look at age 55, the most common age disabilities start. For 55-year-olds who have worked their entire lives, Social Security typically pays $1,000 to $2,700. The benefits pay chart here shows you the ranges based on income.
Within those ranges, the amount you’ll receive will depend on the following:
- your average income over 35 years
- whether you paid self-employment taxes if you owned your own business or freelanced
- whether you worked in any jobs that didn’t pay into the Social Security system , and
- whether you took any years off work for child-rearing or long-term illness.