The Social Security Disability Insurance is a federal insurance program in the U.S. It is created to provide financial assistance to people who are unemployed because of disabilities.

Also referred to as Disability Insurance Benefits or DIB, it guarantees income to the disabled if their condition does not improve over a period of time.

How does a person qualify for Social Security Disability?

* They must have a physical and mental disability that prevents them from working and earning money for themselves
* This condition should last for a considerable amount of time, at least one year
* They are no more than 65 years of age
* They have worked 5 out of ten years

What are the requirements for qualification for Social Security Disability?

* Medical evidence showing that the person is unfit for work
* Their condition should be included in the medical list of the U.S. Social Security Administration
* They must meet the criteria created by the SSA, which is posted on their web site

How long will the application process take for Social Security Disability?

There is no set number of weeks or months allotted for approving an application. It largely depends on the level of the application posted. To get an idea on the process time, check this out:

Initial application 1-12 months (Level 1)

Reconsideration 1-12 months (Level 2)

Hearing 9-30 months (Level 3)

Appeals Council 1-15 months (Level 4)

Federal District Court 12-36 months (Level 5)

What are the benefits of Social Security Disability compared to Long Term Disability Insurance?

The U.S. Social Security gives a regular payment on a monthly basis, which will support the any disability benefits that a person has already acquired. The annual cost of living rate also increases. The good thing about this is that some of those benefits can be tax-free. Another benefit of the SSDI is that a person is eligible for Medicare after receiving the benefits for two years, applicable to any age.

A person's COBRA benefits can be extended up to 29 months if he or she receives SSDI benefits. What's more, if the recipient has a dependent who is 17 years old or below, the dependent can also be eligible for the benefits.

Lastly, a recipient can also return to work while they are still in the process of paying for their benefits.

The Social Security Administration is working continuously to improve the disability determination process. The SSA aims to lessen the time it takes for them to decide on the qualifications of applicants and provide benefits to those who obviously need them.

The new process can ensure that:

* Benefits will be approved for those applicants that are obviously disabled. In these cases, it can take only 20 days for the approval after the claim has been presented by the applicant.
* The reconsideration process can be eliminated in order to speed up the approval of the application.
* The Appeals council will be phased out from the process gradually, and a new committee called the Decision Review Board, will be put in place to make sure that all decision are correct and consistent.