Are SSDI Benefits For Life?

If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits, you may be wondering if once you’ve approved, will you receive the benefits for the rest of your life? My name is Kaitlin Wildoner, and I’m an attorney who helps disabled clients obtain their disability benefits as quickly as possible, so they can focus on getting better. Today we’re going to talk about whether once you are approved for Social Security Disability benefits, are they for life?

In short, Social Security disability payments are generally not considered to be temporary in nature. You have to be disabled and unable to work for a period of at least 12 months (or expected to be) before you can be approved for Social Security disability benefits. However, that does not mean that SSDI or SSI benefits will automatically be paid for the rest of your life.

When you are approved for SSDI or SSI benefits, your case is categorized into one of three categories, Medical Improvement Expected, Medical Improvement Possible, and Medical Improvement Not Expected. Which of these categories your case is placed into will dictate how often your case is pulled for a continuing disability review.

Medical Improvement Expected

If your case is categorized as Medical Improvement Expected, that means that the Social Security Administration expects your condition will improve with treatment and your continuing disability review might be scheduled as early as six months after your benefits were approved. If during the review, Social Security determines that you have improved and your condition allows you to return to work, your benefits will be terminated. If the review finds that your condition has not improved such that you can return to work, your benefits should be continued and your case would be calendar for another review.

Medical Improvement Possible

If your case is categorized as Medical Improvement Possible, Social Security believes that your condition might improve, but it’s not necessarily likely. In this situation, your case would be calendared for a review several years after your benefits were approved. Similar to the prior category, if during the review, Social Security finds that your condition has improved such that you can return to work, your benefits will be terminated. On the other hand, if Social Security finds that your condition has not improved and that you cannot return to work, then your benefits will continue and your case will be calendared for another review in another few years.

Medical Improvement Not Expected

If your case is categorized as Medical Improvement Not Expected, Social Security will still conduct a continuing disability review, but much less frequently. Similar to the other two categories, if your condition has not improved such that you can continue and go back to work, your benefits will be continued.

SSDI and SSI Benefits Are Not Guaranteed for Life

As you can see, it isn’t so black and white as to whether SSDI benefits or SSI benefits continue for life. While they can, it’s likely that your case will be reviewed and determined whether or not you can return to work, which will dictate whether or not your benefits will continue and be for life.

Social Security Disability Attorney

Thanks so much for watching. If you have questions regarding Social Security disability, click the scheduling link here or give me a call directly where we discuss your case and see what I can do to help you.