This 5-year rule that people don’t know about social security payments for the disabled that can increase your income

The Social Security Administration (SSA), established in 1935, administers several common benefit programs, two of which are Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). For those who at some point claimed SSDI, there are certain rules that they may be subject to when they begin receiving their Social Security benefits.

What is the five-year rule?

For workers who have paid into Social Security but become disabled before reaching their full retirement age, a claim with the SSA to receive SSDI can be filed. However, certain eligibility requirements must be met, and two-thirds of applicants see their claims rejected.

To be eligible for SSDI benefits, an individual must satisfy the medical criteria for being disabled, which means having a condition that is expected to last for a minimum of one year or result in death. This requirement is the same for the SSI program.

Additionally, the applicant must have worked for a sufficient period and paid enough Social Security taxes, or the person contributing on behalf of the family member seeking assistance must meet these requirements.

The five-year applies to those who are older than 31 and requires that they have worked at least five of the ten years before they developed their disability. Those who qualify and are unable to work again will receive their SSDI payment as their Social Security check upon reaching their full retirement age.

The other five-year rule is that if someone previously received SSDI benefits within the past 5 years, the usual 5-month waiting period for benefits to start is waived. This allows benefits to resume immediately if the person requalifies, called an “expedited reinstatement,” or EXR.