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Special Insured Status-Disabled Before Age 31

Excerpted from "Social Security Handbook". See the up-to-date, official Social Security Handbook at ssa.gov.

208. Special Insured Status-Disabled Before Age 31

208.1 What is "special insured status?"

"Special insured status" allows an option to the "20 credits in 40 quarters" provision (20/40 rule - See §207). Individuals disabled before age 31 can qualify for disability insurance benefits or establish a period of disability.

(See §201.2 for additional requirements if you are an alien worker and you were assigned an original Social Security number on or after January 1, 2004.)

208.2 When do you have special insured status?

You meet the special insured status requirements if, in the quarter your disability is determined to have begun or in a later quarter, you:

  1. Have not yet turned 31;

  2. Are fully insured as explained in § 203; and

  3. Have credits in at least one-half of the calendar quarters:

    1. During the period beginning with the quarter after the quarter you turned 21; and

    2. Ending with the quarter that you became disabled.

The credits must be earned in this period. If the number of elapsing calendar quarters is an odd number, the next lower even number is used.

208.3 What is the minimum number of credits you need for special insured status?

You need at least six credits in order to have special insured status. If you became disabled before the quarter you turned 24, you must have six credits in the 12-quarter period ending with the quarter your disability began. In this case, the quarters counted will go back before the quarter in which you turned age 21.

208.4 Can you obtain special insured status if you become disabled again at age 31 or older?

If you are age 31 or older and become disabled again, you may obtain special insured status if you meet the following conditions:

  1. You had a previous period of disability established before you turned 31;

  2. You met and currently meet the special insured requirements (as set out above);

  3. You do not meet the 20/40 rule in the quarter your current period of disability begins;

  4. You are fully insured as explained in §203.

(See §201.2 for additional requirements if you are an alien worker and you were assigned an original Social Security number on or after January 1, 2004.)

208.5 Are there any special provisions for the blind?

A person disabled because of blindness may qualify for entitlement to disability benefits if he or she is fully insured as explained in §203. Blind workers are not required to meet "20 credits in 40 quarters" or "special insured status" tests.

(See §201.2 for additional requirements if you are an alien worker and you were assigned an original Social Security number on or after January 1, 2004.)

Last Revised: Aug. 9, 2005


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There are 6 Comments

I am an advanced aged man btw (50-59) with definite hearing impairments in both ears. Tone-deaf with my left ear and hearing problems with my right. I have trouble hearing people in conversations without them repeating words back to me in a louder tone. Most any thing on television requires the higher volume. So, I was wondering how I would go about applying for simple SSI disability at the Social Security Office. I do not qualify for SSD because I am unable to work and have not the 20/40 quarters of work required and have not paid into the insurance with the payroll taxes from working. I would appreciate anybody leading in the proper direction. Do I need to the services of an Disability Attorney, or can I handle this all my myself? Thanks!

To qualify for SSI you need to fit into one of these classes :

  • aged (age 65 or older);
  • blind; or
  • disabled.

You also have to have limited income and assets -- less than $2,000 as an individual.

An adult is "disabled" if he or she has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, which results in the inability to do any substantial gainful activity.

You can certainly apply for SSI on your own. Consulting with a third party may increase your chances of acceptance and may be worth considering.

http://ssa.gov/ssi/text-eligibility-ussi.htm

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/270

I recieve a check every month on the third. Last month I was asked to vacate my home by my wife. To tell you the truth, I am hoping that the check comes in my name or is still routed into my account since she startrd one for herself. If needed, I can present my info to do what is needed. This should be a short term seperation...


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