How To Get Disability Benefits For Schizophrenia In Florida?

If you live in Florida and you struggle with schizophrenia, you understandably have many challenges to deal with as you try to live with your condition. As you try to treat your condition and live your life to the fullest, the last thing you need is additional worry about how you’ll pay your bills and provide for yourself and those you love. The good news is that if you struggle with schizophrenia, you may indeed be eligible for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Let’s take a closer look at the types of benefits that may be available and who might qualify for those benefits.

What Benefits Are Available?

The Social Security Administration manages two different disability benefit programs. The first, called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), is a benefit program funded by federal employment taxes. As a result, to receive benefits under this program, an applicant must have worked a job through which they paid employment taxes Into the system. To the Social Security Administration, this is known as being “insured.” 

The other type of disability benefit program the Social Security Administration offers is Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Unlike the SSDI program, SSI is not funded through employment taxes but through general revenue. As a result, it is not necessary to be insured in order to receive SSI benefits. Instead, SSI is a program intended for individuals with low income and resources. As a result, in order to be approved for benefits, you must have income and resources below a certain annual limit established by the Social Security Administration. That limit may change from year to year, so it is essential to consult with an attorney who knows and understands the law regarding your eligibility in a particular year.

Who is Eligible For Disability Benefits?

Regardless of which type of benefit you pursue, two conditions must be met to qualify for benefits. These include:

• The applicant has a qualifying medical condition: To determine if a particular condition qualifies benefits, the Social Security Administration will often consult its listing of impairments, otherwise known as the Blue Book. The Blue Book includes a wide variety of medical conditions as well as their accompanying symptoms. Those who can establish that they have a condition listed in the Blue Book improve their chances of being approved for benefits – although having a condition in the guide is not absolutely necessary. Fortunately for those with schizophrenia, it is a condition listed in the Blue Book. In order to establish that you have schizophrenia, you will need to be able to provide sufficient medical proof that you suffer from common symptoms, which might include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and other common symptoms.
• The disability has rendered the applicant unable to work for one continuous calendar year or more. Social Security disability is essentially a long-term disability benefit As a result, those seeking benefits must be disabled for at least one continuous calendar year or more. Those who have disabilities that are severe but render them disabled for only a short time may seek benefits through a private insurer or other source but likely will not be able to receive benefits through a Social Security program. Consulting with an attorney regarding the option that is best for you with regard to your condition is always advised.

If you believe you may qualify for either type of benefit, you’ll want to consult an attorney regarding your options and how best to pursue them.

How Much Will You Receive?

Regardless of whether you’re approved for SSDI or SSI, there will be a maximum amount you can receive each month in benefits. It’s important to understand that the amount of benefit you receive does not depend upon your particular condition. Instead, it depends on a number of other factors, including income and resource level, work history, and earning history, among other things. In 2025, the maximum amount of SSDI benefits an individual can receive each month is $4,018, and the maximum amount of SSI benefits> that can be received is $967 per individual and $1,450 per couple.

Call Disability Experts Today

At Disability Experts, we know and understand every aspect of the law pertaining to disability benefits. Regardless of where you find yourself in this process, from the beginning stages of the claim to pursuing an appeal or anywhere in between, we are here to help. Instead of worrying and wondering about how to pursue the benefits you need and deserve, you can leave those matters to us. When you do, you can trust that we will always pursue the best legal strategies on your behalf as we fight for you. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.