How Do You Qualify For SSI

How do you qualify for SSI? The simple answer to the question is that you must have low income and low financial resources and you must be aged, blind or disabled. Aged means 65 or older. I’ve talked elsewhere about what blind means.

I think the bigger thing that people want to know when they ask “How do you qualify for SSI?” is what is the secret, what do I need to know that guarantees a win? It’s probably not what you think. People often think that to win they must do an A+ job of completing Social Security’s paperwork. You can even see that some attorneys suggest this online. While it’s a good idea to give Social Security as much info as you can, this isn’t some school assignment. Don’t get hung up on this or you’ll never file your claim in the first place. It’s a guarantee that you’ll never get on SSI disability if you never file a claim!

The real answer to the question “How do you qualify for SSI?” is pretty simple. You have to file a claim, you have to have a case and you have to be persistent. Filing a claim should be obvious but it’s not to some people. Having a case means that there is proof that you are disabled. In most cases, this means that you’d better be under medical care. Many times I tell a client that a Social Security judge is going to be thinking about this sort of question, “If he’s so disabled by mental illness, why doesn’t he go see a psychatrist?” The judge will probably not ask the question but we’re rather not have the judge thinking about the question since we may not have a good answer to it. Being persistent means that you have to realize that it may take two years or more to get on SSI disability benefits. This may involve filing multiple appeals. That’s hard to do if you’re feeling bad.

If you really need to know the answer to the question “How do you qualify for SSI?” for your case, please contact us. We’ll be happy to talk with you.