Belleville, Illinois — May 5, 2020 —Disability Insurance Awareness Month in May highlights the importance of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) as a financial and economic backstop, particularly in managing an unexpected risk such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many people do not understand the need to apply for benefits as early as possible, according to Allsup, the nation’s premier provider of Social Security Disability Insurance representation services.
When people experience a severe, disabling health condition, they wait an average of 7.6 months before applying for benefits, according to the Social Security Administration. But waiting only makes the process harder.
“Many people fall into financial ruin, experience foreclosure, and rack up huge medical debts while being unable to work,” said Steve Perrigo, Vice President at Allsup. “With an estimated 600,000 people waiting for a decision at the initial level, which typically takes 4-6 months, people with severe injuries or illnesses should find out immediately if they’re likely to be qualified for SSDI before they get stuck in this backlog.”
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 40% of workers have access to short-term disability insurance and 34% have access to private long-term disability coverage through their employer. Nearly 156 million workers who paid FICA payroll taxes are insured for SSDI benefits.
However, many Americans are not familiar with this program, and the application process can be extremely complex and have different criteria than private disability insurance. Two-thirds of former workers who apply for the first time are denied, often due to paperwork mistakes and technical errors. Subsequent appeals levels can take up to 500 days or longer before they receive a decision.
Allsup has helped more than 325,000 people receive their SSDI benefits. The online tool empower by Allsup® combines an SSDI assessment for eligibility and Social Security disability application support, along with return-to-work guidance for those who may medically recover. Customers experience a 97% approval rate if they complete the process with Allsup.
Find more information about how to apply for disability benefits or returning to work with a disability, visit TrueHelp.com.
To get started with your SSDI eligibility assessment, go to FileSSDI.Allsup.com.