The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides workers with monthly financial payments when they cannot work due to medical reasons. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is called that for a reason – it's really insurance against future disabilities. When the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) deductions are removed from your paycheck, that money goes to your benefit. In some cases, workers are unable to get benefits due to not working recently. Read on to find out more and how an exception to the rule might help you.

Your Date of Last Insurance

The date of last insurance (DLI) is the day that you last worked at a position where you paid into the Social Security system. Most employers remove the FICA deduction (which consists of not just Social Security but also Medicare deductions) along with taxes. Some people, however, may be contract employees or self-employed and so the date will align with their federal tax payment dates. The SSA uses a method known as work credits to add up your work time and income. As long as you have worked within the past several years, you probably have enough work on your record to gain benefits – unless you have a large gap in employment.

Understanding Employment Gaps

If you wait too long after stopping work to apply for SSDI benefits, you may run up against some problems. The SSA says you must show that you have earned money and paid FICA for at least 5 of the last 10 years, starting with your application date and counting backward. The SSA has exceptions for the blind and those who are less than 31 years of age. That means that you should wait no more than five years from your last DLI to apply for benefits.

Exceptions to the Rule

If it looks like you have not worked recently enough to qualify for benefits, you may still get benefits if you can show that you have been disabled for longer than the gap in employment. If you were actually disabled before you quit your last job five or more years ago (and can prove it), the SSA may make an exception for you. The time between when you can prove you were disabled and your application date is known as the protective filing date.

If you have a gap in employment, you are more likely to have problems with an approval. Speak to a Social Security attorney like those at Gordon & Pont to learn more.