Will I still get my disability benefits check during the shutdown?

People become disabled in many different ways. Some are born with a disability while others acquire one at some point during their life through an accident, illness, or injury. One of most frustrating things that those suffering from a physical or mental disability must face is the financial struggle make ends meet when you are not able to work.

Because of this, the federal government, through the Social Security administration (“SSA”) offers two different benefit programs with different qualification requirements. There’s Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) benefits for disabled people who previously worked and paid into the Social Security system through their payroll taxes prior to becoming disabled and there’s Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) for elderly and other disabled people very limited financial means and resources regardless of whether they ever worked.

Qualifying for disability benefits and applying for disability benefits is a complex process which may be expedited and made easier with the help of a skilled disability benefits attorney.

For those fortunate enough to be receiving disability benefits through the SSA, the recent federal government shut-down may have you wondering whether and how your disability benefits will be affected. Will your check continue to arrive on time during shutdown? Are your payments in jeopardy?

Fortunately, Social Security disability benefits programs are not going to be affected by the government shutdown. “A shutdown only affects funds annually appropriated by Congress, not funding that is sustained long-term” like the Social Security trust fund—comprised of a combination of taxes and long-term investments– from which disability benefits are paid. Further, “disability claims or appeals over benefits would continue to function” during the shutdown as well.

In other good news, there is no expectation of furloughed SSA employees during this shutdown as there have been in past shutdowns due to a “full-year funding agreement for the Social Security Administration” being reached in September 2018, thereby sparing the agency during this current shut down—at least so long as it doesn’t last beyond the expiration of the funding agreement term.

If you need assistance applying for disability benefits or appealing the denial of benefits, or have any questions regarding Social Security disability benefits, the disability attorneys of Arizona at Roeschke Law can help you. Contact us today for a free consultation.
From our offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and Tempe, we represent disabled people and their families throughout Arizona.