Social Security offers two separate programs for people who are medically disabled. These two programs are Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). With two different programs available a common question is: Can I receive both SSDI and SSI if I am found disabled. The quick answer is yes, but it will all depend on earned income.
When a claimant meets the technical requirements of both the SSDI and SSI programs it is called a concurrent claim. To qualify for SSDI you have to have worked long enough and more recent enough, while paying Social Security taxes, to meet the technical requirements of this program. The SSI program does not consider work in determining eligibility, but there are income and asset limits for the program which is intended for lower income claimants.
If your income and assets are low enough to qualify for SSI, and you qualify for SSDI, it’s not likely you will receive benefits from both programs because you are not allowed to earn a higher monthly combined benefit than you would be eligible under the maximum SSI monthly payment of $710. If your SSDI amount, which is based on the taxes you paid while working, is more than $710 there would be no SSI eligibility. If a claimant’s SSDI amount is less than $710 per month the claimant would be technically eligible for both SSDI and SSI.
Keep in mind that these are only the technically requirements of the program. Once Social Security determines that a claimant meets the technical requirements of one of the two disability programs the next step is to make a medical disability determination. Meeting the medical requirements of Social Security disability is no small feat of its own as most applicants will be denied on initial application.
For more information about the requirements for the SSDI and SSI programs visit: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/.
