You have read the information about the need for disability insurances, and have checked out your company benefits to find that you DO NOT have short term disability (STD) or long term disability (LTD) plan coverage. If this is your situation, read the following. The time to do so is BEFORE you need to use that insurance!

The rest of you have checked out your company benefits and find that you DO have STD and LTD plans. Now you want to learn more about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

(Note: a denial on behalf of an insurance company for LTD does not necessarily have an impact on your ability to successfully apply and be accepted for SSDI coverage.)

Social Security Disability Insurance

If you qualify for Social Security (i.e., if you have acquired at least 40 quarters of Social Security contributions) and are suffering from a disability, you may be able to receive monetary benefits from the Social Security Administration. Also, in some situations these disability benefits may be awarded to you and your dependents.

Social Security Disability Benefits or SSDI are paid to individuals who have worked in the recent years. Usually you have to work 5 out of the last 10 years. For individuals under 31 years old, the requirements are a little different since they have not been in the work force as long. Under the federal Social Security Disability Act, "disability" means the "inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or result in death."

The Workbook described at www.disabilitykey.com contains a step-by-step