As Baby Boomers Age, Social Security Disability Approval Rates Go Up

As Baby Boomers Age, Social Security Disability Approval Rates Go Up
Since 2007, claims for disability benefits have gone up by 25 percent. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the reason is mainly an uptick in baby boomers who need disability benefits as they age. They seek out disability benefits since they aren’t quite at the age to qualify for retirement.
Another factor in the uptick is due to the recession from a few years back. In 2013 alone, more than 3.2 million people applied for Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplement Security Income (SSI).
You may have seen on the news that this is leading to a major backlog at the SSA. That’s true. There are nearly 1.3 million people overdue for claim reviews to determine if they qualify for benefits. SSA officials say they need more money from Congress to speed up the backlog of cases.
In order to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, you must meet the legal definition of “disabled.” That means you are supposed to have a medical condition – it can be physical or mental – that keeps you from working and is expected to last for one year (or result in your death.
Based on Social Security’s data, some of the most common conditions include bone and muscle pain and mental disorders.

Getting Denied Social Security Disability Benefits Isn’t the End
While most people are denied the first time they apply, man people work with a Boston Social Security Disability attorney like the ones at Jackson & MacNichol to help them appeal. In fact, Social Security’s statistics show you are more likely to win benefits if you work with a disability attorney.
“Having a Social Security Disability attorney helping with your case is important because only an attorney has been trained in the law and knows all the complicated steps with help you fight to get the benefits you need,” says attorney Francis Jackson.
An attorney can help with your appeal and hearing (if necessary). The hearing process can take a little over a year due to the current backlog. On top of the backlog, there are nearly 816,000 hearings pending according to the SSA.
While most people are denied, success is possible. Right now, there are roughly 11 million Americans receiving SSD. The average benefit paid every month is $1,130. In addition, nearly 8.3 million people receive SSI – a difference disability program for those with a low income.
If you do get approved for benefits, it can take a while to start getting the benefits you need because of the backlog. And once you do get benefits, your case will most likely be reviewed to make sure you are still disabled.

Upcoming Worries for the Social Security Disability Program?
One of the upcoming concerns is that the trust fund supporting SSD will dry up in 2016. At this point, according to Social Security’s trustees, the system may trigger a 20 percent cut in benefits to fund the gap.
As you can imagine, this will make it harder for everyday families on SSD to get by.
If you find yourself unable to work due to your medical condition and have questions about disability benefits, visit ssa.gov or DisabilityBenefitsLaw.com.