Does My Education Level Affect Social Security Disability Benefits

When applying to receive benefits from the Social Security program, there are numerous different factors that are taken into account. One of the ones that is commonly brought into question is whether or not a person’s education level affects the ability to receive SSI benefits and, if not, how much. The simple answer is that people of all educational levels can still qualify for SSI, however it does play a role in one’s qualifications.

The biggest way that education affects Disability benefits has to do with the jobs that are opened to an individual. An individual is considered “disabled,” in the context of Social Security benefits, when he or she is unable to find work due to a physical or mental impairment. Note that this means that the individual is unable to find a job that he or she would be able to obtain based on all other factors besides the disability.

Education, whether a college degree or special certification, opens up the market for a person to be hired in more roles than he or she would otherwise. Therefore, the definition of “ability to hold a job” now applies to those available at that educational level. A person with lower education qualifies for fewer jobs and therefore would have an easier time proving he or she cannot work because jobs that he or she may physically be able to do are gated behind educational requirements.

This is not to say that those with higher education cannot receive Social Security Disability benefits, but it does mean that it will take more effort to prove that their wider range of jobs are still beyond them. If you or someone you know has been rejected by the Social Security Administration, you can appeal to have it overturned. When this happens, call (813) 872-0929 to enlist the expert help of the Franco Law Firm.