In order to determine your eligibility for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSD or SSDI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will consider your work history, including the amount of your earnings, the number of years you worked, and how old you are when you became disabled. To be eligible for social security disability benefits you need social security “work credits” which you earn when you work at a job and pay Social Security taxes. The dollar amount of your earnings for Social security credits: The amount of earnings is important because you have to earn a certain dollar amount to get a credit of work. For 2017, SSA gives 1 credit for each $1,300.00 of earnings, up to the maximum of 4 credits per year ($5,200 for the year to earn the maximum 4 credits). The dollar amount it takes to earn one work credit is calculated on a yearly basis and the amount required is increased every year. For example, 2016 SSA gave 1 credit…

The Social Security disability process can be long and worrisome for a claimant. Fortunately, the Social Security Administration has provided six situations in which particular cases may be expedited. The Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) designates these particular cases as “critical” and requires a faster processing of these claims. The 6 categories that follow are the types of “critical” situations that may result in your case being expedited: 1. Dire Need Case – Social security finds a dire need situation exists if the claimant lacks food, shelter, or medicine. Specifically, the claimant is without food and is unable to obtain food, the claimant lacks medicine or medical care and is unable to obtain it, or the claimant lacks shelter or is in imminent danger of lack of shelter (for example, without utilities, an eviction notice, a foreclosure lawsuit, homeless, etc.) 2. Terminal illness – If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness the Social Security Administration (SSA) will designate your case as critical…