You have an illness that prevents you from working. As it turns out, it is a terminal illness. In your remaining time on this earth, you want to help your family in as many ways possible, including financially.
You apply for Social Security disability benefits but understand that the Social Security Administration (SSA) takes three to five months in deciding whether to accept or reject someone’s application. If the agency accepts your application, you still must wait an additional five months before getting those benefits. You cannot wait that long because you do not know how much longer you will live.
Conditions considered terminal
In such a heartbreaking situation as having a terminal illness, you may be able to obtain SSD benefits more quickly. The SSA makes a point of expediting the processing for benefit applicants who have terminal illnesses.
The SSA defines a terminal illness as an untreatable medical condition or one in which death is the expected result. The agency considers the following conditions as terminal:
- Various cancers such as liver, pancreas, gall bladder, esophageal, mesothelioma, lung and brain
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease
- AIDS or HIV infection
- Patients awaiting transplants of the heart, lung, liver or bone marrow
- People dependent on a cardiopulmonary life-sustaining device
- People receiving inpatient or home hospice care
- Patients who are comatose for 30 days or more
Sadly, reversing your health scenario is not possible. But, like you, the SSA understands that time is of the essence.
Warding off some financial struggles
You know that your life will eventually end. You and your family may have cried many tears over this situation. You wish that you could ward off this terminal illness, but you cannot. However, with SSD benefits, you can ward off some of the financial struggles that you and your family may face.
