Social Security Benefits: Does SSA Offer Partial Disability Benefits?

04/09/09

Social security regulations are labyrinthine, and working out which social security benefits you are allowed to receive can be challenging. To smooth the process, here are answers to some of disability applicants' most common questions.

SSA is only for people whose disability is complete and who have been disabled (or are expected to be disabled) for one year or more, so there are no partial disability social security benefits. If you wish to file for partial disability, you will need to do so through a state or local program. Being denied disability benefits from SSA will not automatically disqualify you from receiving benefits through state and local programs.

However, if you are disabled but able to work for short periods or at a low level, you may be able to continue working while receiving social security benefits. You total income will be taken into account by the state agency that handles your social security case. If you can still work but your maximum possible income falls below a certain amount, you can still collect disability benefits. The agency will measure your total POTENTIAL earnings, not your total REAL earnings: If you could earn above the minimum by changing to a different job that you are trained to do and physically capable of doing, then you will be considered ineligible for social security benefits. You will not be pushed beyond your limits and asked to do work you are not capable of doing. The state agency takes into account applicants' health, age, experience, and education when evaluating which jobs they are suited to do. Help is available for applicants who need assistance at moving from a lower paying job to a job that would enable them to support themselves.

Many applicants are told by their doctors that there is no further treatment for their condition, but their social security agents ask them to continue visiting doctors. If this is what you are dealing with right now, there is an explanation! First, your regular doctors may not be able to provide all of the information the state agency needs to evaluate your case. The agency will arrange for you to see a doctor who has the specialized experience or equipment necessary to complete the examination. The examination is part of your case evaluation, not a part of your treatment plan.

Second, disability is not always permanent, and even untreatable conditions can improve. Regular examinations to chart the progress of your health are essential. Even without treatment, your condition may improve enough to allow you to return to work.

And third, medical breakthroughs happen every year. Why let resignation steal a possible cure from you? Occasional doctors' visits are a minor nuisance compared to the vast improvements you could someday see.

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