Social Security disability benefits are very resourceful and often necessary. However, this is not the only resource available to those living with a disability. Depending on where a person works, it is possible to obtain disability payments from private sources. This includes private pensions or insurance benefits. When these are receives, these do not impact Social security disability benefits received by the disabled worker.
On the other hand, worker’s compensation benefits and public disability may reduce Social Security disability benefits. These benefits are often paid by federal workers’ compensation agencies, employers or by insurance companies on behalf of an employer. Additionally, public disability payments paid by federal, state or local government for disabling medical conditions that are not job related can affect SSD benefits as well.
Because a disabled individual is likely experiencing financial hardships because of their disability, it is important that they understand all of their resources available. It is also imperative that they understand how these programs interact and how they could impact on another. This could help with the overall application process and understanding what steps are best to take.
