Welcome to Disability Benefits Help, an organization committed to helping claimants across the United States receive approval for disability benefits.
Since applying for Social Security disability benefits can be a difficult process, a disability attorney or advocate may increase your chances of being awarded benefits by helping accurately and favorably complete the complex paperwork, ensuring that all deadlines are met, and providing you with representation at a hearing. After submitting our web form, you will receive a 100% FREE evaluation of your disability claim. Disability attorneys and advocates receive compensation if you are awarded back benefits. We have no affiliation with the Social Security Administration, the agency at which you can apply for Social Security disability at no cost.
Are you a Connecticut resident who can’t work because of a disabling medical condition? If you have a disability that prevents you from working, you may qualify for disability benefits in Connecticut through the US Social Security Administration (SSA).
Disability benefits consist of monthly payments that help disabled individuals pay for basics like food and shelter. The following overview will cover the essentials of the topic. For more information, strongly consider discussing your case with a legal professional.
Understanding The Definition Of Disability In Connecticut
The SSA defines a disability as a physical or mental condition that:
- Is either medically likely to result in death or last 12 months, AND
- Prevents someone from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA).
Whether someone can participate in SGA depends on whether they’re able to earn a certain minimum amount of money every month. In 2024, a non-blind individual can’t participate in SGA if their monthly income is less than $1,550. For someone who is blind, being unable to participate in SGA in 2024 means being unable to earn at least $2,590 a month.
What Disabling Conditions Qualify In Connecticut?
The SSA offers a valuable resource to anyone with questions about whether their condition qualifies as a disability. The SSA’s Blue Book is a resource listing over 200 conditions that meet the SSA’s criteria.
There may be a listing for your individual condition. If you can’t find it, your condition might be grouped in with several similar conditions under a listing for a specific type of ailment. A lawyer could also help if you’re unsure how to interpret a Blue Book listing in regard to whether it applies to your condition.
Blue Book listings also offer information about the types of documentation applicants may need to gather when seeking disability benefits in Connecticut. Review this information carefully. Submitting an incomplete application can result in delays.
No matter what type of disability benefits you’re seeking, you’ll need to submit an application with medical documentation showing how a condition limits your working ability. Depending on what types of benefits you’re seeking, you may also need to satisfy other requirements, like showing you’ve earned enough work credits to qualify for benefits.
Types of Disability Benefits Available in Connecticut
Learning how to apply for disability in the State of Connecticut is wise if you can’t work because of a disabling condition. However, you should also review the different types of programs available to you. You could waste time on the application process if you end up applying to the wrong program.
Options the SSA offers are:
Connecticut Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI often pays more than SSI. However, this form of disability benefits in Connecticut isn’t available to everyone.
When applying for SSDI, one element of meeting disability requirements in CT involves showing you’ve worked and paid into the Social Security system in the past. For every year they pay into Social Security, a US worker can earn up to a maximum of four annual “work credits.”
Whether someone has earned enough work credits will determine if they qualify for SSDI. Typically, someone seeking SSDI needs to have earned a minimum of 40 work credits. Of them, they must have earned at least 20 in the 10 years immediately before becoming disabled.
The SSA occasionally makes exceptions and approves SSDI applications for those who haven’t earned sufficient work credits. The SSA might make an exception when an applicant is young and hasn’t lived long enough to have substantial work experience.
Connecticut Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI is an option available to those who haven’t paid into Social Security enough to earn the work credits needed for SSDI. To show you deserve SSI, you need to show you have a disability that meets the SSA’s definition, or that you’re 65 or older.
You must also show a genuine need for SSI. This requires demonstrating that you have:
- Minimal to no income
- Minimal to no financial resources
It’s wise to track how you spend SSI funds if you qualify for the program. Make sure you’re tracking when you spend SSI funds on a child’s expenses!
State of Connecticut Disability Programs
Some states also offer short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance as alternatives to SSA disability benefits. These types of programs are often helpful when an applicant doesn’t qualify for SSA benefits or needs another source of financial support as they wait to receive SSA funds.
Connecticut doesn’t offer any such statewide short-term disability benefits program. However, individual employers may. For example, employees of the State of Connecticut can use short-term disability insurance when they have disabling conditions that aren’t expected to last a year.
Review your employer’s benefits package. They may offer a similar option to consider along with SSA benefits.
Find A Disability Lawyer In Connecticut
As you learn how to qualify for disability in Connecticut, you may understandably feel overwhelmed about the application process. Luckily, this isn’t a process you have to navigate on your own.
Consider enlisting the help of a Connecticut disability attorney. Benefits of hiring a disability lawyer include:
- Reviewing your case with a legal professional who can explain your options in greater detail
- Having someone help you gather medical documentation and coordinate with doctors
- Letting your lawyer handle such tasks as completing and submitting paperwork
Those are just a few examples. For more information about what a Connecticut disability lawyer can do for you, take the Free Case Evaluation today.
How Much Disability Can You Receive in Connecticut?
How much is disability in Connecticut? It’s difficult to say how much you may receive without learning about the specifics of your case.
In 2024, an individual receiving SSI could receive a maximum monthly benefit of $943. The maximum monthly benefit for couples receiving SSI is $1,415 in 2024. For someone receiving SSDI in 2024, the maximum monthly benefit is currently $3,822. Learn more about this topic by using our free benefits calculator to determine approximately how much you may stand to receive.
