Can Self-employed People Get Social Security Disability?

A North Carolina Social Security disability attorney can ensure the best odds for your case. Call Bridgman Law Offices at (704) 815-6055 for help today.

If you’re self-employed and feel that your disability affects your ability to earn a living, you may be interested in collecting Social Security disability. The first thing to know is that, yes, self-employed people can collect Social Security disability benefits. The first thing you need to do is to hire a skilled North Carolina Social Security disability attorney.

Your North Carolina Social Security disability lawyer will assess a number of factors including the income you’ve earned, the value of your work and the kinds of services you’ve rendered to your business.

Self-Employment And Substantial Gainful Activity

To determine disability, the SSA uses what’s called the Sequential Evaluation Process. Per step one, the applicant can’t be performing “substantial gainful activity” or SGA.

When an applicant works for someone else, it’s relatively easy to determine whether they’re engaging in substantial gainful activity. It’s mostly determined using a simple calculation that compares the person’s earnings from work with SGA earnings guidelines.

If you’re self-employed, of course, the usual calculation doesn’t quite work. Determining SGA is trickier. The SSA tends to view self-employed applicants with suspicion. You can expect the SSA to look very closely at your work activity and its value to your business. That’s true even if you’re operating at a loss.

As any experienced North Carolina Social Security disability attorney will tell you, the SSA states that it’s not possible to determine SGA based on self-employment income alone. That income is influenced by many factors, so it’s much more complicated. Therefore, the SSA must also consider the economic value of your services, even if they don’t generate an immediate income for you.

Is it possible to qualify for Social Security disability benefits while self-employed? Yes. However, without the help of a North Carolina Social Security disability lawyer, you’re facing a very steep uphill battle.

Hire A Skilled North Carolina Social Security Disability Attorney

Being self-employed doesn’t automatically disqualify you for SSDI. To ensure the best odds of success, you should hire an experienced Social Security disability lawyer to assist you with your case. Call Bridgman Law Offices at (704) 815-6055 now.