What's the difference between SSI vs SSDI?

So you're disabled, unable to work, and trapped at home. In the United States this is not the end of the world financially. You can get help from the government. I have in the past and will in the future use it during very bad flairs. You can too. Although the process is time consuming and labor intensive, it's not hard to sign up. 

The requirements to apply for both SSI and SSDI are similar, but not the same. I'll step you through whether you qualify for either

SSI stands for Social Security Income. It is a monthly stipend for those who are under or unemployed due to age or disability. To qualify you have to be older than 65, be diagnosed as blind or have a disability. You can just have one, of you can have multiple.

If you are older than 65, blind, or have a diagnosis that keeps you from working, you need to have a limited income and resources. To be determined that you do not have enough income you need to make less than $1,767 a month, or if you are married you need to make $2,607 a month. The less you make, The more you get. This includes money from a job, money from the government in the form of payments (SNAP, and some other benefits do not count), and money you get from family and friends. You also are limited by generosity from others. If you have someone giving you something (food or rent) less than market value, that can count against you too. 

You also can't own too much. Houses/land, cars, and even life insurance can reduce the amount you get. Basically if you can sell it to pay for food and shelter (even if it's already food and shelter) It will count against you. The good news is they only take the value of the income or asset off mathematically. It doesn't automatically disqualify you.

Last, but certainly not least, to receive money from the US government you also must be a US citizen and live in the US. It seems silly to mention, but it's important.

SSDI or Social Security Disability Insurance can earn you a bit more money, however it also has a few more more requirements. You need to make less than $1,470 a month to be eligible, and Earn less than $1,050 monthly to not be moved into the Trial Work Period. After a certain time in the TWP, earning more than $1,050 a month you could be taken off disability. This income extends, like SSI to all income, even help from family and friends. 

To qualify for SSDI you need to hit those SSI qualifications (save for the income limits I explained in the previous paragraph) plus have worked long enough to have paid money into Social Security on your taxes at your job. You also need to expect to be out of work for a year or more.

That's it. It sounds simple enough, but the process is a headache. As of this posting (2023) it's taking upwards to a year to get approved. That really complicates things. Most people are denied on their first attempt. Attorneys are helpful. I will guide you through this process in later posts.

So You're Stuck With a Disability...

So your stuck in bed or at home dealing with a dehabilirating disability? Me too! For 15 years now I've been having flairs that left me housebound if not bedbound. I'll go through periods where I'm symptom free, but then I'll have years where I can't even get out of bed to use the restroom. 

It's depressing place to be, to be sure. However, there's hope. We don't have to hide ourselves within our depression. We don't have to let the world forget about us. I'm on a mission to make life easier for those of us who are stuck in bed or stuck in the house.

This blog's purpose is to collect and magnify the things that we can do to make our lives better. That could be a job that you can do for bed on days that you're feeling up to it. That could look like equipment to make life easier. That could even look like awareness and support group recognition. Whatever the disability or illness you have, we can lead absolutely fulfilling lives.

Fifteen years ago I was taken to the hospital with a violent arm tremor that kept me from breathing. After a miriad of tests, they still didn't know what to do with me let alone what I had. I got worse. The left side of my body became severely weakened almost paralyzed as violent tremors rocked my body constantly. I was having non-epeleptic seizures multiple times a day. I lost the ability to read, or watch anything that moved (including movies and tv shows). It took 2 years to figure out I had Functional Neurological Disorder.

I have to tell you, living my day to day was awful. I was stuck in bed staring at my ceiling all day. Nothing to do, and no one to talk to (because most of the time I had speech paralysis.

Three years later I started to improve with the help of my doctors and my faith in my ability to be able to live my life no matter where it took me (thanks antidepressants!). Although I never fully kicked my symptoms, I did indeed improve.

Since then I've had two major flairs of my condition. The first didn't last a long time. It was at the begining of COVID. The stress of being a teacher during that time made me have to quit my job and take something that paid less, but was less stressful. It tooke more than a year to be able to work as a teacher again.

Then COVID restrictions lifted. I got a teaching job again. I was so happy! In July 2022 I actually got COVID. It triggered my condition again leaving me absolutely incopacitated. I again needed help to even shower and use the restroom.

Two weeks ago the new pills I was taking started kicking in. I still can't work, but I am much better. 

I want to share my experience with you, explore new tricks, and help us all not only surivive, but thrive. That is what my mission is: to show you, you can live a better life from bed, from home, wherever you exsist.

Come with me as I lay out my experience, exploration, and exsistance