Can you receive private disability payments and also receive social security disability payments?

Answer 1

Yes, if you own a private Disability insurance policy, the guidelines and benefits are accounted for separately from Social Security benefits. A person can be eligible to receive both benefits.

A private Disability policy can have two types of benefits: Base and Social Insurance benefit. Base benefits are payable regardless of Social Security benefits. Social Insurance benefits will offset dollar-for-dollar with any Social Security benefits you are eligible for.

You can revert to your original Disability insurance policy, or policy summary to determine whether you have base or Social insurance benefits. You can also contact the insurance company your policy was written through to confirm this information.

Answer 2

The broad answer to the question is Yes. However, whether both categories of benefits are payable in a particular situation will depend upon whether the applicant is found to be "totally disabled" under SSDI guidelines, and how the private disability policy defines disability.

A very comprehensive explanation of the Social Security disability process appears on the Social Security website maintained by the Social Security Administration. Much, if not all of the initial application process can be done online, or you can go to a local Social Security Office. It often takes a while to get a determination, so patience is a virtue. The most critical element of the process involves medical documentation of your inability to work.

A private disability insurance policy will define that which constitutes disability, and that definition must be met for benefits to be triggered. There are various definitions and the precise wording will dictate your entitlement to benefits (such as, you may be able to collect if you are disabled from doing that line of work that you did at the time of the disabling event, or you may be able to collect only if you are unable to do any sort of work).

The long and the short of it is that you may very well be able to collectboth, but the specific answer is fact-driven.

Answer 3

It is possible, however it depends on the particular Short-Term Disability Insurance policy you have. Your disability benefits booklet should be available from the employer.

Some group disability policies integrate with Social Security and if you qualify for Social Security benefits, your disability benefits will be decreased by the amount received from SSDI.

Individual Disability Insurance plans can be taken and you have a choice of integration with Social Security (cheaper plans) on non-integrated plans which will pay 100% of benefit if you are disabled, regardless if you are receiving Social Security Disability. These individual plans are portable if you change your job.