Understanding all of the acronyms that attach to different government programs can be confusing for individuals who just need help getting by. Particularly with regard to disability programs offered by the Social Security Administration, knowing what an Oklahoma resident may qualify for can be a tough matter to assess. This post will discuss a few of the differences that exist between Social Security’s disability benefits program and supplemental income program.
The Social Security Disability Insurance program (SSDI) is available to individuals who have paid into FICA and have enough qualifying work history off which to base disability benefits’ payments. “FICA” stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, and, generally, a person has part of their pay deducted each pay period in order to fulfill this requirement.
The Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI) is somewhat different. A person does not have to have FICA credits or a long work history in order to receive payments through SSI. In fact, a person generally must have extremely limited resources in order to recover SSI, and he or she must be disabled, blind, or of an advanced age.
There are other significant and important facts about SSDI and SSI that readers should know about, but this post is only offered as an introduction into this important topic. Those who wish to pursue either or both of these Social Security Administration programs should consider reviewing their eligibility with attorneys who work in this particular area of law. A legal consultation can help a person clear up the questions they may have about these two programs and help them decide if and how to apply for them.