If you are living in Louisiana and you are a disabled person, became disabled or suffering from physical or mental impairment that hinders your ability to work, then you may be qualified to receive Social Security Disability benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both the SSDI and SSI are disability programs or assistance programs of the federal government under the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, in Louisiana, the appeals process is different because there is a State Agency called the Disability Determination Services (DDS) that decides if a person may qualify for disability insurance benefits or not.
The SSI program is not paid by the Social Security taxes meaning you do not need to have a long work history or paid payroll taxes before you may qualify to apply for benefits. If you have worked long enough before you become disabled, you are also entitled to receive social security retirement benefits along with the SSI. The SSI benefits are given to disabled people that are needy due to low income and are struggling for their basic needs.
Who may be Eligible for SSI Disability Benefits?
To qualify for the assistance program, the following requirements must be met:
- Must have reached the retirement age of at least 65 years old or suffering from blindness.
- Have financial needs or sparse income and resources.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship
- Residing in the United States except for children with military parents assigned outside the country.
- Mental impairment or severity of medical conditions of children of all ages. Broken ribs and internal bleeding are not enough to qualify for benefits from social security.
The following may also affect your qualifications:
- Marital status, whether married or unmarried
- Monthly income
- Bank assets
What are the Work Incentives for SSI?
Special rules enable people with disability status to work and receive wages while receiving Medicare assistance and SSI payments per month. The following work incentives are applicable to SSI:
- Work Related Impairment Expenses.
- Special Conditions and Subsidies
- Unincurred Business Expenses
- Unsuccessful Attempts to Work
- Vocational Rehabilitation Program
- Expedited Reinstatement
- Blind Work Expenses
- Earned Income Exclusion
- Earned Income as a student
- Special SSI Payments
- Special Benefits for Eligible People
Applying for SSI in Louisiana
Upon filing your application, the Social Security office in Louisiana will check if you are eligible for SSI and if you are, your case will be forwarded to the Louisiana DDS. However, applying for benefits under the SSI can now be done online for selected situations. The following circumstances can apply online:
- Disabled or blind adults – in cases where you are not certain if you are eligible to receive SSI, you can complete an online process under the Social Security Administration where a representative from the SSA will tell you if more paperwork and documents are needed. In situations where another individual submits an online SSI application for you, you will be contacted by the SSA for:
o Verification if you really want to file.
o Confirmation on the information included.
o Obtaining additional information if needed.
o Enabling you to provide verbal consent for the signing of your application.
- Children with disabilities – requires two steps, fill-out the Child Disability Report and then finish the interview with the SSA representative to complete the application process.
For persons above 65 years old, there is no online application available but an application through phone or to the social security office is allowed.
Are You Eligible for SSI in Louisiana?
If you think that you qualify for SSI benefits and want to apply for social security and SSI, having a Monroe Social Security Disability attorney to guide you is highly recommended because the SSA denies a lot of applications and small technical errors can result in your petition being denied. We at E. Orum Young Law have experienced SSA Disability lawyers that will help you through your application process so that the court can review your case accurately. Call us now for a free legal consultation.
