What Does It Mean to Be Disabled Without SSDI Benefits?

If you are struggling with a disability, you may be wondering about the benefits that might be available and whether or not you should pursue those benefits. You may wonder what happens if you don’t pursue those benefits. If you don’t pursue a certain type of benefit, can you still be considered disabled? These are understandable and important questions to ask.

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that whether or not you are disabled is a fact entirely separate from whether or not you actually receive, or even pursue, benefits. Some individuals may choose not to pursue benefits for a variety of reasons. This doesn’t make their disability any less real or less severe.

Keeping that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the law together to see what types of benefits may be available, as you consider whether or not you might want to apply.

What Benefits May Be Available?

The Social Security Administration offers two types of disability benefit programs. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to seek one or both types of benefits.

Social Security Disability Insurance

Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, or SSDI benefits for short, are benefits that the Social Security Administration offers for individuals who have a disability that has caused them to be unable to work for at least one continuous calendar year or more, and who are “insured.”

Being “insured” may sound as if you need to have some specific type of insurance policy, but this is not actually the case. Instead, to the Social Security Administration, being “insured” means that the applicant worked at a job and regularly paid employment taxes to the Social Security system for a sufficient length of time.

If you are worried that you may not be considered “disabled” because you cannot (or choose not) to seek SSDI benefits, you should know that this is not the case. If you do wish to seek benefits, and you do not believe you qualify for SSDI benefits due to your employment history, you may still be able to seek the second type of disability benefit that the Social Security Administration offers, which is known as Supplemental Security Income.

Supplemental Security Income

As with SSDI benefits, to pursue SSI benefits, an applicant must have a disabling condition that has caused them to be unable to work for at least one continuous calendar year. Unlike the case with SSDI benefits, however, the applicant must have income and resources below a certain limit established by the Social Security Administration. This is because, unlike SSDI benefits, SSI benefits are not funded through employment taxes but through general revenue and are specifically intended to help low-income families.

You may wonder how to know if your income and resources fall below the annual limit – and that’s an understandable question to ask. You may wonder which assets and income “count” for purposes of making that determination, and it’s normal to feel confused by the law, which can often seem complicated. Consulting an attorney regarding your particular circumstances and whether you should seek these benefits is always advised.

If you do choose to seek SSI benefits, it is important to know that there is a maximum monthly amount you can receive. This amount also changes annually in accordance with inflation and other factors. In 2026, the maximum monthly SSI benefit for an individual is $994, and for a couple, it is $1,491.

Understandably, all of this information may seem overwhelming. It ultimately means that if you are disabled and either choose not to – or cannot – seek SSDI benefits, there may still be other benefits available if you choose to pursue them. In addition to Social Security benefits, there are also disability benefits that may be available through private insurance policies or other agencies, depending on your situation.

Talking with an attorney regarding your particular situation and the best option for you is always helpful. At Disability Experts, we’re here for you.

Disability Experts – Here For You

At Disability Experts, we know that our clients who struggle with disabilities often have many worries. That’s why we’re here to take a few of them away. Instead of worrying and wondering about whether you’re doing all you can to pursue the benefits you need, you can turn to us. Our talented and experienced team of attorneys knows and understands every aspect of the law pertaining to the disability claims process. If you trust your case to us, we’ll walk with you each step of the way, and we’ll always keep you informed about your case. If you’re ready to get started today, give us a call. We look forward to helping you soon.

Sources

• Social Security Disability Benefit Overview: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qb5HR5F2pQNtQWHxm8KYzkWzL_ZCPPJh/
• Eligibility for Disability Benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/qualify.html