Is there a deadline to apply for disability?
Yes! One thing that surprises many of our clients is that the clock starts ticking on your disability claim once you stop working.
When working, most people pay into Social Security via payroll taxes. Those payments earn quarters. They’re called quarters because you can only earn 4 per year, no matter how much you work.
In order to qualify for disability, you have to have earned at least 20 quarters in the past ten years. There are other requirements as well, but the quarters requirement is the one that causes the most issues.
Practically, that means that most people will run out of quarters for disability once they’ve been out of work for 5 years. Since a disability case can take years to decide, it’s important to apply for disability as soon as you stop working, to maximize your time.
In some cases, you can still apply for disability after those 5 years. However, the further away from working you are, the harder it is to win a case.
That’s why we recommend calling our office to discuss your specific situation as soon as possible. We can go over your specific work history and medical conditions and work with you to apply before you run out of coverage for disability. Call our Mandeville office today at (985) 626-1002!