How Much does Social Security Disability Pay in South Carolina?

How much Social Security Disability pays in South Carolina may depend on several factors, including:

• What kind of benefits you are applying for
• Your job situation
• Your living situation
• What evidence is available to your South Carolina Social Security Disability lawyer

Social Security Disability Insurance Versus Supplemental Security Income

There are two kinds of Social Security Disability. Which of the two you qualify for can make a difference in how much Social Security Disability pays in South Carolina monthly benefits.

For example, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), you can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you have limited income and are disabled and/or over retirement age.

By contrast, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) requires the applicant to have both a qualifying disability and a compatible work history. The SSA awards work credits based on:

• How much you earn
• How long you have worked
• How recently you have worked

These are two distinct programs that offer different amounts to recipients. It is generally a good idea to consult a Social Security Disability attorney to help you understand these programs better and to make sure you file for the correct benefits.

Working While on Social Security Disability

You do not need to have ever worked to receive SSI. SSDI, however, does have work requirements that you must meet before getting your benefits.

Working can have a big impact on how big your SSD payment is because:

• Both programs have a maximum income threshold. If you (or your household) earn more than this maximum, you cannot qualify for benefits.
• The SSA may reduce your check if you are working.
• The SSA may also reduce your check if you have access to other sources of income, including other types of government benefits.

You do have the right to work while on SSA, but you must keep a close eye on your yearly income. As soon as your earnings exceed the maximum threshold, your benefits could be in danger.

One exception is if you join the Ticket to Work program, which allows people on benefits to try (re)joining the workforce without risking their monthly payments. If you participate in the program, no matter how much or how little you earn you can continue to receive your SSD check.

Your Living Situation and Disability Benefits

Disability benefits are designed to help people cover the basic costs of living, such as food, rent, and clothing. If you don’t pay for any one of these basics yourself, the SSA may decide you need fewer benefits and reduce your payment accordingly.

For example:

• If you live with a sibling who does not charge you rent, your payment may decrease. (If your sibling does charge you rent, your payment will not be affected.)
• If the average cost of living increases, your payment may increase the following year as well.
• If you live alone but are receiving financial support from friends to pay rent, your payment may decrease.

How much you stand to lose depends on how much help you receive (or how much the SSA thinks you receive). Social Security Disability lawyers are trained to understand the many nuances of when and why the SSA reduces payments. An attorney can help you calculate what you deserve and fight back against unwarranted reductions.

Proving You Deserve Social Security Disability

You may know that you deserve benefits, but if you cannot prove that fact to the SSA’s satisfaction, they will not pay you anything.

To receive the right type and amount of benefits, a law firm can collect materials like:

• Your medical records, to establish that you were disabled by an illness, a workplace injury, a congenital condition, or another event
• Your employment records, to prove that you have the proper work history to receive SSDI
• Your financial records, to show that your average earnings do not meet the maximum income threshold
• Birth and marriage certificates, to prove key relationships that can affect who gets benefits and how much money everyone receives

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to convince the SSA to award you fair benefits in anything resembling a timely fashion. The Administration is flooded with cases and may take a long time to consider your case or to respond to any complaints or inconsistencies.

While a legal representative cannot necessarily speed up the process, they can ensure it moves as smoothly as possible and that you are not hampered by unnecessary delays.

What If There Is a Mistake With My Benefits?

Even if you do everything right with your application, something can still go wrong on the SSA’s end. They may misinterpret the evidence you send in, confuse your case with someone else’s, or claim that you didn’t send in enough evidence for them to evaluate your case.

If you believe that you aren’t receiving the full benefits you deserve, a Social Security Disability attorney can help. A law firm who has dealt with Disability cases in the past can act swiftly to:

• Start the appeals process for an SSA denial
• Find out why the SSA has denied your Disability claim or reduced your benefits
• Collect evidence to prove that the SSA’s decision was wrong
• Calculate how much money you deserve versus what the SSA thinks you deserve
• Attend any necessary hearings or meetings with the SSA on your behalf

Fighting for benefits can be a long and exhausting process, but you don’t have to fight alone. A law firm can help you get the benefits you need, for as long as you need them.

We Can Fight for Your Social Security Disability Benefits

The legal team at Schiller & Hamilton cares deeply about helping our community however we can. That includes explaining to clients how much Social Security Disability pays in South Carolina and how they can get the money they deserve. Contact our firm now and take the first step by requesting your free case review.