Frequently Used Social Security Disability Terms
Administrative Law Judge or ALJ: The Judge that you will meet at your Social Security hearing and who will make a decision regarding your claim.
Appeal: If the Social Security Administration denies you benefits, you have 60 days from the date on your decision letter to file your appeal. This is also known as a Request for Hearing, Request for Review, or Request for Reconsideration (if applicable) depending on what decision you are appealing.
Appeals Council: If the Administrative Law Judge denies your disability claim, you can appeal the denial to the Appeals Council. The Appeals Council will determine if the Administrative Law Judge made an error in denying your disability claim. The average wait time for the Appeals Council is 9-30 months.
Cessation: Having your benefits end for a medical or non-medical reason is cessation of your Social Security Disability benefits.
Claimant: If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income you are the claimant.
Closed Period: A Judge may award a claimant a closed period of benefits. This means that the claimant is eligible for benefits for a certain period in the past but not eligible for ongoing benefits.
Consultative Medical Exam or CE: The Social Security Administration may require that you see a doctor paid by them to examine you. This is called a Consultative Medical Exam.
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA): The Social Security Administration may increase Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits each year due to increases in the cost-of-living.
Date Last Insured: To receive Social Security Disability benefits you must be found disabled before your date last insured. The date last insured is that date on which your eligible Social Security Disability credits run out. It may be sometime in the future or already past depending upon your recent work history and payment of FICA taxes.
Disability Determination Services: The state agency that determines eligibility for Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income at the application and reconsideration (if applicable) stage.
Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB): This is another term for Social Security Disability. To be eligible for DIB you must be disabled and have worked and paid your FICA taxes.
District Office: Your Social Security District Office is the Social Security office in your community. This is the Social Security Office that services your claim.
Established Onset Date (EOD): The date that the Social Security Administration determines your disability began.
FICA Tax: The FICA tax funds the Social Security program and is withheld from your paycheck.
Five Month Waiting Period: By law, there is a 5-month waiting period for Social Security Disability benefits. If you are awarded benefits, you will not receive payment for the first 5 months that you are eligible for monthly payments. For example, if the SSA determines that you are disabled as of January 1st, you will not be eligible to receive benefits until June 1st.
Listing of Impairments: The Social Security Administration publishes a guide that is part of the regulations. These listings describe medical findings and test results associated with many diagnoses. If your medical records contain test results and medical findings that are the same as the severity of those in the listings you will be found to meet the requirements of disability. If your medical records do not show findings that are as severe as the listings require, you can still be found disabled if your condition is so severe that it precludes working.
Medicaid: Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides health care benefits for people who meet certain low-income requirements. If you are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you will be eligible for Medicaid.
Medicare: Medicare provides health care benefits for people over the age of 65 and for the disabled. If you are awarded Social Security Disability benefits, you will be eligible for Medicare two years after the first month that your are entitled to receive monthly benefits.
Notice Of Award: The letter from the Social Security Administration that says how much money you will receive each month and if you will be receiving back benefits.
Notice Of Hearing: You will receive a notice with the date, time and location your hearing has been scheduled; this is your Notice of Hearing. You will receive it no later than 20 days prior to your hearing.
On The Record Decision: An Administrative Law Judge may make a favorable decision before a Social Security Disability hearing is scheduled. The judge will make the decision based on the medical records available.
PA State Supplement: The state of Pennsylvania gives an additional monthly benefit to any resident that is receiving SSI benefits. The rate for 2010 is $27.40 per month.
Representative Payee: The Social Security Administration may have you appoint a representative payee if you are awarded benefits and are unable to handle your financial responsibilities.
Retroactive Benefits or Back Benefits: Often it takes the Social Security Administration months or even years to process your case through the various appeal levels and finally determine that you are disabled. They often determine that you have been disabled during the months and years that you have been waiting for benefits. If this happens, Social Security will pay you the back benefits for those months that they determined that you were disabled.
Social Security Credits: You earn credits based on your work history and taxes paid. You can earn a maximum of four credits each year. These credits are counted to determine if you have the quarters of coverage necessary for you to be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits.
SSDI: This is another name for Social Security Disability Benefits or DIB.
Substantial Gainful Activity or SGA: To be eligible for Social Security disability you must be unable to engage in Substantial Gainful Activity. SGA is considered gross income of $1000 a month in 2010.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Supplemental Security Income is a federal income program for the disabled who meet low income and resources requirements and are disabled.
Title II: This is another name for Social Security Disability Benefits.
Title XVI: This is another name for Supplemental Security Income Benefits (SSI)
Trial Work Period: The Social Security Administration may allow you to try to go back to work for a limited time period. During the trial work period, you can continue to receive Social Security Disability benefits.
