If you are receiving, or have thought about applying for Social Security disability, you may not realize that other programs can impact the amount of Social Security disability that you receive, or are approved for. Today, many people have more than one job, whether that be a combination of part and full time employment or owning a business and engaging in a side-job to help make ends meet. The way one is paid and the way these jobs are characterized (i.e. contract worker or employee?) can impact the way disability benefits are paid out.
In the same way, receiving workers’ compensation and other public disability benefits, can potentially reduce a person’s previously approved Social Security disability benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits are paid to a worker in instances of a job-related injury or illness. These benefits can be paid from a variety of sources, either federal or state workers’ compensation agencies, employers, or by insurance companies on behalf of employers. Public disability payments that may affect your Social Security benefits are those paid from a federal, state, or local government for disabling medical conditions that are not job-related.
On the flip side, there are also public benefits that have no impact on a Social Security Disability amount. These include, Veterans Administration benefits, state and local government benefits, in instances when Social Security taxes were deducted from your earnings, and lastly if a person is receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). How do you know if your disability amount could be impacted by another program?
When in doubt, ask a trusted source so that you understand how introducing a federal program like SSD benefits could impact your overall benefit snapshot. Lots of people receive multiple benefits at the same time. However, the key is to make sure one doesn’t cancel out the other, as this would be counter-intuitive. There is a way to maximize the financial aid one qualifies for.