If the Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes your disability, you may be eligible to receive benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The SSDI is a program that applies to disabled people all over the United States, providing those who cannot earn a living with enough money to take care of themselves.
Applying for SSDI is a difficult and lengthy process because the SSA has very strict criteria for which disabilities they recognize. However, even after the SSA approves your request, there are still important responsibilities for you to fulfil.
What happens after SSDI approval?
After getting SSDI approval in North Carolina, you must wait roughly five months before receiving your first check. If you have not yet set up a means of receiving that money via direct deposit, you must do so as soon as possible. However, even if you are already scheduled to receive your benefits, there is still more for you to do throughout your entitlement:
- Read the benefit verification letter: After SSDI approval, check the monthly benefit amount as well as when you are expected to receive your entitlement.
- Confirm bank details: Check your bank details and ensure the information is correct to guarantee that you receive the benefits.
- Update personal details: If you ever change addresses, phone numbers or bank details, it is important that you update the SSA as soon as possible.
- Report changes in employment: Make sure to notify the SSA if you change jobs or if there are any substantial changes to your earning ability.
- Maintain medical records: The SSA regularly conducts reviews of your medical records to ensure that you are still disabled and thus eligible to receive benefits.
Bear in mind that you may be eligible to skip the waiting period if you have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), so long as you were approved for SSDI benefits on or after July 23, 2020. As for how much you can expect to receive, your payment will vary depending on your lifetime average earnings covered by Social Security.
What makes SSDI so important?
Maintaining SSDI approval is almost as difficult as getting approval to begin with. You will need to make sure that your records are up to date, your information is complete and that you keep a detailed list of how your disability affects your daily life. However, the monthly benefits allow you to make up for money you would have lost as a result of your disability.