Social Security disability benefits can pay benefits to you and certain members of your family after a disability. You generally need to have paid into the program over a certain amount of time with employment taxes. The disability should be expected to last at least one year or be permanent. When you apply, have your Social Security number ready, as well as all employment and medical records that you can obtain. The application process typically takes at least five months.
Those that apply for Social Security disability and Social Security retirement benefits will have all of their information stored into a record known as the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR). The information in the MBR is used by the Social Security Administration to report on its activities as well as answer inquiries about benefits and provide statistics about beneficiaries and applicants, among other things.
A MBR is created for everyone who has applied for Social Security benefits, whether disability or retirement. The MBR generally contains information about beneficiaries and the payments that they are receiving or have received. Specific facts in the MBR include information about payment amounts that are going to beneficiaries, the taxes and/or deductions that are taken out of benefits, information about family members and spouses who are also receiving benefits, etc.
While you can certainly apply for SSDI benefits on your own, an attorney will definitely help with the process. You are more likely to get a favorable result being represented by an attorney. The appropriate medical evidence and witnesses will be secured more easily. An attorney will best prepare you for what questions you might be asked at your hearing. Most importantly, an attorney can help you to understand the process of applying and answer any questions or address any concerns that you may have. Therefore, there is little risk in having an attorney evaluate/handle your claim.
