June 12, 2023
Historically, stay-at-home parents have encountered difficulty when applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). With strict eligibility requirements in place, more than two-thirds of initial applications are denied. That said, there are certain situations where a stay-at-home parent may be eligible for these programs.
The primary eligibility requirement for SSD is having a substantial work history before becoming a stay-at-home parent. If you’ve earned enough work credits by paying taxes into the Social Security System, have a disability that will prevent you from participating in employment for the next year, or one that may result in death, you may be eligible for SSD.
However, if you haven’t accumulated enough work credits in your lifetime or haven’t worked recently, you likely won’t qualify for SSD. Further, if your impairment isn’t expected to last 12 months, isn’t severe to the point that you’re not unable to perform your past relevant work, or has resulted from drug or alcohol addiction, you probably won’t qualify.
As for SSI, this is a needs-based program, meaning it’s reserved for disabled individuals with minimal income and resources. Unlike SSD which comes from Social Security taxes, SSI funding comes through general tax revenues and looks at financial needs than work history when determining eligibility.
If you have a spouse that earns enough with their business or job to support your household, you won’t be eligible for SSI because you’ll make too much money collectively as a household.
With SSD and SSI denial rates unfortunately being quite high, the hearing process often draws out. And the inherent complexities of the system, determining eligibility, and applying for disability benefits can be overwhelming. That’s why most people can benefit from an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer who knows the ins and outs.
They’ll make sure you have the right medical information to offer evidence of your medical disability, will work alongside your doctors to get all the right information in place, assist you with filing your application, ensure your paperwork is handled correctly, and more.
To learn more about applying for SSD or SSI, contact our team at Zea Proukou. We’ll be happy to help you every step of the way to increase your approval rate. You can contact our Rochester office at 585-423-9444 or our Canandaigua office at 315-853-9444. Or, you can reach us through our secure online contact page.