WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
A person who is unable to engage in any substantial gainful employment for at least 12 months because of a mental or physical impairment can apply for disability insurance benefits.
HOW LONG CAN I RECEIVE DISABILITY BENEFITS?
To be eligible, a person must be fully and currently insured or permanently insured at the time of the onset of the disability to be eligible for disability insurance benefits.
Once eligible, the disabled person can receive a monthly insurance benefit until the month before he/she dies or recovers from the disability, whichever occurs first.
HOW SOON CAN I APPLY FOR BENEFITS?
You can apply after sixty (60) days from the date your disability commenced. Applications submitted within sixty (60) days of the commencement of the disability will not be considered.
But if eligible, this waiting period will not affect your right to receive benefits. Retroactive benefits will be to the date of the onset of your disability or a month after the termination date of employment, whichever occurs later.
HOW CAN I APPLY?
To apply, please fill out an Application for Disability Insurance Benefit and submit it along with the required documents as listed in the application.
IF I'M RECEIVING DISABILITY BENEFITS, CAN I ALSO RECEIVE SPOUSE INSURANCE BENEFITS?
The most recent change to the Social Security Act does not allow a beneficiary to receive two types of benefits. So disability insurance beneficiaries cannot receive spouse insurance benefits at the same time. However, if you are eligible to receive spouse benefits and the amount is higher than your disability benefit, you can choose to receive the higher amount.
HOW ARE MONTHLY DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS CALCULATED?
The "Basic Benefit" is a monthly payment that is one-twelfth (1/12) of the total of:
- 21.5% of the first $11,000 of cumulative covered earnings; and
- 2.9% of cumulative covered earnings in excess of $11,000 but not in excess of the next $33,000; and
- 1.5% of cumulative covered earnings in excess of $44,000
Below is a sample of how to calcuate benefits for an eligible retiree with cumulative covered earnings of $80,000:
| FORMULA: | TOTAL: |
| $11,000 x 21.5% | $ 2,365.00 |
| $33,000 x 2.9% | $ 957.00 |
| $36,000 x 1.5% | $ 540.00 |
| TOTAL: | $ 3,862.00 |
BASIC MONTHLY BENEFIT:
$3,862.00 / 12 mos.
= $321.83
Home | Benefits | Employer Information | Outreach Program | FAQS | Forms | Newsletters | About Us | Links | Disclaimer