Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is one way to get benefits if you have suffered a disability. A similar option is known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It can also apply in many disability cases.
However, people often confuse SSI and SSDI, or assume that they are virtually the same thing. In reality, they work much differently, and it is important to know how.
A work history
One of the main differences is that SSDI is connected to a person’s work history. Someone will only qualify if they have worked long enough to accrue the appropriate amount of credits and have paid the necessary Social Security taxes. In this sense, you can sometimes think of SSDI as insurance for those who are working. If you have a disability, you have already been paying into this program, so you can then draw benefits.
SSI, on the other hand, is not connected to your work history, so you do not have to demonstrate that you have worked long enough to qualify. Instead, it focuses on people who generally have little income — or none at all. This individual needs to either have a disability or be at least 65 years old. If they meet these qualifications, then SSI can help pay out benefits to cover basics such as housing, clothing, food and other necessities.
In some cases, people will only qualify for one of the two. But there are other cases in which they can get concurrent benefits, as they qualify for both.
This makes the system rather complex, so it is very important to know what you may qualify for and what legal steps to take when seeking the benefits you need. It can help to work with an experienced attorney.