SSDI states a last insured date in September of last year. I do not understand. I am still "working" but NOT gainfully employed. I am still paying into the system. I do a little bit of clerical work out of my home when health permits, earning less than $4000 per year, on good years. Why am I not considered STILL insured? My monthly earnings never exceed $600.

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/res...st-insured.htm

Are you absolutely positive you paid into FICA? I believe it's fairly common for people that are self employed to overlook doing so.

You can request an Earnings Record from your local SS office if you don't have one. Do you have one from a few years back that you could check?

If an employer failed to pay into FICA and you have records that show they should have, you could still be insured.

I have the cancelled checks and tax returns (1040's) to prove it.

The only one I do not have is for the year 2012 which is not yet available.

How do they come up with a 3rd quarter date of last year?

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10022.pdf

Are you sure you filed schedule SE, along with the 1040?

You're eligible for SSDI for 5 years. Did you become self-employed about 6 years ago? Did you file your application for SSDI prior to the 3rd quarter of last year, or after? (I thought after, but just want to confirm.)

What is your date of birth? What is your date of onset of disability?

What does your 1040 and your schedule C show as your Self-employment profit for the last 10 years?

Over the last 10 years, my Schedule C varied with a LOW of $400 to a HIGH of $8000 and SE payments from a low of $80 to a high of $1200.

Dear Lit Love,

I am puzzled by your post. I looked at the link you supplied. Nothing there of news to me. Yes, I filed an SE with my returns.

You're eligible for SSDI for 5 years. What do you mean by this?
I have more than enough credits, have a continuous earnings record, just not a "substantial gainful earnings". Why would there be any type of "5 year" limitation. Seems to me if I have paid into the social security system every year and have reached my needed credits many years ago, I should still be "insured".

Please explain your statement and provide a link for this limitation.

Your net earnings (this year) have to be a minimum of $4640 to receive 4 work credits for the year. Following the link I posted above and read the section on work credits.

Here's the link directly to SS as well on credits: http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify2.htm

So, a year you claimed $400--you received zero work credits towards SS.

5 years after might not actually be accurate since I'm unsure of your work pattern come to think of it. But if someone works steadily for 10 years and than stops, they remain eligible for SSDI for 5 years. (If I've done a poor job explaining this, Janke will hopefully correct me.)

Have you determined what your benefit would be if you took regular retirement next year at 62? (It would be good to know for a worst case scenario.)