What’s the Deal with Social Security Disability?

If your clients bring up Social Security as a fallback option for disability insurance, make sure they truly understand what they’re getting into. Take a few minutes to educate your clients on what Social Security is really bringing to the table.

Social Security Disability has a very strict definition of disability:

"inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairments which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.” The approval rate for a Social Security Disability claim is low – only around 35% of initial claims each year are approved.1 Often, people seeking disability relief under Social Security have to hire legal representation to facilitate their claim. That route is usually taken after multiple denials. Also, the average monthly benefit from Social Security is around $1,300 per month or $15,600 per year.1 For perspective, those figures barely put single-person households over the poverty line calculations for 2019. For families of two or more, relying solely on Social Security benefits would put families into serious financial straits. Check out the table for details.

Can your clients continue to sustain their lifestyle on that income?

Educate With Examples

Here are some things you can do to make it hit home:

• Have your clients check their personal Social Security benefits online.
• Ask the important questions – could they live on a small fraction of their current income?
• Make sure they are aware of the steps necessary to be approved for Social Security Disability, as well as the wait time associated with a claim.
• Compare SSDI to an individual DI policy – definitions and benefits.

Your clients worked hard to build their financial future (and so did you). But once it’s gone, it’s too late. It’s our job to make sure that everything works when your clients can’t. To make sure their foundation is protected.

Don’t end the conversation before checking the last box. Check out these resources to SEE IT THROUGH – to create a solid financial foundation for paychecks, made possible.