Just because you are disabled for purposes of social security, does not mean that you cannot play golf. It means that it has been medically determined that you cannot do work that you did before; that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition(s); and that your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
Full Answer
What does the SSA want to know about my activities?
The SSA wants to know what you can and cannot do in any given day in order to make a decision about the severity of your impairment. The SSA wants to know the following about your daily activities:
What is work activity for Social Security disability?
The SSA considers work activity to be performing tasks for pay or profit or doing work of a type usually performed for pay or profit, whether or not a profit is realized. The test the SSA generally uses to decide if an activity is substantial is the "substantial gainful activity" (SGA) threshold. For 2021, that amount is $1,310 a month.
What benefits do people with disabilities get from Social Security?
Benefits for People with Disabilities. Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured," meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.
Can I work at the SGA level if I receive disability?
If you receive disability and volunteer, the SSA could determine at your next CDR that you are able to work at the SGA level.
Can you play golf on disability?
Golf offers an opportunity for people with disabilities to do just that. The NCA believes that there are probably at least 8 million people with disabilities who would consider playing golf or returning to the game if given the opportunity.
What's the most you can make while on Social Security disability?
During the 36-month extended period of eligibility, you usually can make no more than $1,350 ($2,260 if you are blind) a month in 2022 or your benefits will stop. These amounts are known as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
Can you exercise while on disability?
Many adults with disabilities and chronic health conditions can participate in regular physical activity; however, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional or physical activity specialist (for example, physical therapist or personal trainer) to understand how your disability or health condition affects ...
What can I spend Social Security disability on?
Answer: After paying for the disabled person's food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental costs, and any rehab expenses, the representative payee can spend disability benefit money on personal comfort items and recreation costs (such as outings, movie tickets, or magazine subscriptions).
How can I increase my Social Security Disability payments?
You can increase Social Security Disability payments by working at least 35 years before retiring, understanding the benefits of working past retirement age, and avoiding Social Security's tax consequences. If you are married, married applicants can maximize their disability payments by claiming their spousal benefits.
How can I get more money from Social Security Disability?
You may get more if you live in a state that adds money to the federal SSI payment. You may get less if you have other income such as wages, pensions, or Social Security benefits. You may also get less if someone pays your household expenses or if you live with a spouse and he or she has income.
What activities can a disabled person do?
Physical Activities for Adults with Disabilities Physical activities and exercise can help adults with disabilities achieve their mental and physical potential. Bowling, exercise classes, gardening, team sports, dancing, and swimming are all activities that can be used to promote good holistic health while having fun.
Does Social Security Disability watch you?
Unlike private insurance companies the SSA does not generally conduct surveillance investigations, but that doesn't mean that they can't or never will. Once you file a disability claim, the SSA looks for proof of your disability.
What does a disabled person do all day?
ADLs include things like shopping, cooking, getting around (either by public transportation or by driving yourself), cooking, paying bills, being able to take care of your personal hygiene, and so on.
Does SSI keep track your spending?
A special note about SSI payments We don't count all resources. However, some items you buy could cause the recipient to lose their SSI payments. Any money you don't spend could also count as a resource. Check with us before making major purchases for an SSI recipient.
Do you have to spend your disability?
Technically, there are no restrictions as to what you can do with your Social Security Disability payments. It is, however, your responsibility to make sure that your living expenses are paid for before you spend any of your Social Security Disability benefits on entertainment or luxury purchases.
Do you have to pay back Social Security disability?
When you become disabled and can no longer work and earn an income, your disability insurance makes a payment to you each month during your benefit period or until you recover from the disability. In virtually every case, you'll never have to pay back any of your disability insurance benefits.
What does SSA look for when applying for disability?
When you apply for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may look at how your impairment impacts your "activities of daily living," or ADLs. The SSA wants to know what you can and cannot do in any given day in order to make a decision about the severity of your impairment.
Why are ADLs important?
ADLs are important for many different impairments, and are especially important with mental disorders. ADLs include things like shopping, cooking, getting around (either by public transportation or by driving yourself), cooking, paying bills, being able to take care of your personal hygiene, and so on.
What does SSA learn about hobbies?
Information on your hobbies helps the SSA learn important things about your physical and mental abilities. For example, hunting requires a certain amount of physical stamina, but the amount depends on the type of hunting you do. There is a big difference between a hunter who can hunt only by riding down a dirt road on a four-wheeler looking for a deer and one who can walk miles through the woods for hours.
Why is social skills important?
Social skills are important in determining the type of work you can do, especially in evaluating the severity of a mental disorder. That you don't engage in any of these activities does not necessarily mean you can't. What is particularly revealing to Social Security is a change in which social activities previously of interest to you are no ...
What are the problems with ADLs?
Describe any other problems with ADLs not previously discussed, such as epilepsy that restricts your driving a car, difficulties with balance that prevent you from riding a motorcycle, fear or confusion that prevent you from traveling alone on a bus or subway, or memory problems that keep you from going out alone without getting lost.
Does Social Security want to know if you can do household maintenance?
Household Maintenance. Social Security is not so much interested in whether you actually do things around the house —the SSA wants to know if you can do these things. For example, the fact that you don't cook is not an argument that you cannot cook.
Does Social Security care about church?
For example, Social Security will want to know if you previously enjoyed going to church but no longer do because of depression, paranoia, or fear of leaving home—but Social Security does not care that you've never been interested in going to church. Social contacts need not be limited solely because of mental disorders.
Can you tell Social Security about your disability?
Your difficulties with daily personal activities are very helpful to Social Security’s disability determination. When you apply for Social Security disability, in addition to telling Social Security what your prior job activities were and why you can't do them anymore, Social Security will want to know how you handle your "activities ...
What is Social Security Disability?
Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured," meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.
What is the largest federal program for people with disabilities?
Benefits for People with Disabilities. The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration ...
How old do you have to be to get Social Security?
Also known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you can receive Social Securityretirement benefits as long as you’re at least 62 years old and have at least 40 work credits.
When will Social Security be replaced with Social Security?
And if you haven’t yet reached early or full retirement age and you’re receiving SSDI, those benefits will be replaced with Social Security income once you reach age 62. But exceptions apply to those who take early retirement before being approved for SSDI benefits. Tips for Getting Retirement Ready.
What is the full retirement age?
Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born after 1960, but you can opt for early retirementbenefits at age 62. For disability, the age requirements are quite different. You only need to be at least 18 years of age to qualify, and SSA guidelines require you to prove that: You can’t do the work that you’ve done before.
Can you get both disability and early retirement?
The Exception to the Rule. You may be able to get both benefits if you opted for early retirement before you received disability benefits. These are also known an concurrent benefits. This exception would be applicable in a situation where an individual retired early due to serious medical conditions.
What to do if you are not sure if your volunteer is SGA?
If you are not sure whether your volunteer work is SGA, and you really want to continue doing it, you might consider contacting an experienced disability attorney in your area to discuss how your volunteer work could affect your claim or your benefits. Updated February 23, 2021. Talk to a Disability Lawyer.
Why is bookkeeping considered SGA?
This is because bookkeeping was the kind of work usually done for pay, and the amount of pay the recipient could have received for the services he provided to the organization were at the SGA level.
What is the SGA for 2021?
The test the SSA generally uses to decide if an activity is substantial is the " substantial gainful activity " (SGA) threshold. For 2021, that amount is $1,310 a month. While the SSA usually considers only the amount of income you earn from working when calculating whether you are working at the SGA level, this is not the case if you're doing ...
Can volunteering cause disability?
Doing volunteer work can be considered substantial gainful activity, which could cause your Social Security disability benefits to terminate. By Melissa Linebaugh, Contributing Author. Volunteer work may or may not disqualify you for disability benefits, depending on the circumstances.
Can you stop receiving SSI benefits?
If you've been receiving SSI disability benefits for a year or more, the SGA rule no longer applies to you. Your benefits can't be discontinued unless, during a CDR, the SSA finds that your condition has medically improved enough for you to work.
Is volunteer work considered SGA?
That said, some volunteer work is never considered SGA, even if the volunteer receives payment for his or her services.
Does the SSA consider SGA?
Also, if you volunteer for an advisory committee, board, commission, council or another similar group created by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the SSA will not consider any payments you receive, or services you perform, for these groups as SGA.
Personal Mobility
Personal Needs and Grooming
- Describe any difficulties you have in taking care of hygiene, dressing, and taking care of your hair. Don't underestimate the importance of these everyday activities that many people take for granted. For example, if you have had a stroke, you may be unable to button your shirt with one hand. Inability to button a shirt or pick up coins tells Social Security that you have difficulty with f…
Household Maintenance
- Social Security is not so much interested in whether you actually do things around the house—the SSA wants to know if you can do these things. For example, the fact that you don't cook is not an argument that you cannot cook. It is more significant that you could previously cook but no longer are able to because you can't stand for very long and your kitchen isn't wheelchair accessible, yo…
Recreational Activities and Hobbies
- Information on your hobbies helps the SSA learn important things about your physical and mental abilities. For example, hunting requires a certain amount of physical stamina, but the amount depends on the type of hunting you do. There is a big difference between a hunter who can hunt only by riding down a dirt road on a four-wheeler looking for a d...
Social Contacts
- Social Security is looking at your ability to interact with other people. Social skills are important in determining the type of work you can do, especially in evaluating the severity of a mental disorder. That you don't engage in any of these activities does not necessarily mean you can't. What is particularly revealing to Social Security is a change in which social activities previously of intere…
Other Limitations on Your Activities
- Describe any other problems with ADLs not previously discussed, such as epilepsythat restricts your driving a car, difficulties with balance that prevent you from riding a motorcycle, fear or confusion that prevent you from traveling alone on a bus or subway, or memory problems that keep you from going out alone without getting lost. This article was excerpted from Nolo's Guid…