Q: I am an immigrant lawfully permanent resident married to American citizen. I came 7 yrs ago and worked only a bit due to
my conditions. I had many jobs for 3/5 or 6 months, maybe a 2 yrs total paying taxes. My wife is employed and close to retirement paying taxes for more than 30yrs. I have PTSD, Bipolar Depression and BPD. Can somebody help me to understand if I qualify for SSI or SSDI or something else? Thank you
A:
As a lawful permanent resident married to an American citizen, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you have a qualifying disability and have worked enough to earn sufficient work credits, or if you have limited income and resources.
To determine if you qualify for SSDI, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will look at your work history and determine if you have earned enough work credits. Typically, you need to have worked for at least 5 of the past 10 years, and earned a certain amount of money each year, to earn work credits. If you have not worked enough to qualify for SSDI, you may be eligible for SSI if you have limited income and resources.
In order to be eligible for either program, you must also have a qualifying disability that meets SSA's definition of "disability." This means that your condition must be severe enough to prevent you from working and must be expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.
To apply for SSDI or SSI, you can visit your local Social Security office or apply online through the SSA website. It may also be helpful to consult with a Social Security attorney or advocate to help you navigate the application process and ensure that you are receiving all of the benefits you are entitled to.
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