Important: We updated this article in November 2024 after fact checking with Social Security Administration policies and data. When people think of Nevada, they imagine casinos, night life, and desert climes. However, did you know Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state? While ironically nicknamed the Silver State, Nevada is actually America’s largest gold-producing state. And Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other place on Earth. Which makes sense when you consider what happens in Vegas supposedly stays there. But if you live there, one thing you don’t want to gamble with is your health. If you find yourself unable to work, you need to know how to get Nevada disability benefits. Because trust us, you want to beat the odds on this one.
What Programs Are Available for Nevada Disability Benefits?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers two programs that pay a disability benefit to Nevada residents. Thanks to the state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) office, Nevadans can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Besides medical criteria and your ability to work, the former looks mostly at prior work history, the latter at financial need. As both programs are federally funded, applicants must also prove that they meet the federal definition of disability.
Unlike a few states, there is no short-term disability in Nevada. Therefore, these programs are only for those with long-term conditions that force them to stop working for at least 12 months.
Currently there are 785,278 disabled adults in the state of Nevada, or one in four residents. Most of those have mobility impairments (14%) and cognitive issues (16%). Unfortunately, many of these people don’t get any federal SSDI or SSI benefits.
How Can a Person Qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in Nevada?
The Nevada Bureau of Disability Adjudication (BDA) — part of Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) — determines if you qualify.
The first disability program available to Nevada residents is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI is specifically for adults aged 18-66 with severe conditions that prevent them from engaging in “substantial gainful activity.” This is how the SSA describes your ability to work enough to support yourself financially.
SSDI benefits are exclusively available to disabled individuals who have enough work credits and their eligible dependents. This means applicants must show they worked for about 25% of their adult lives, or 5 out of the last 10 years. And as part of that work history, they must have paid Social Security taxes (which is how this program is funded).
In order to be eligible for Nevada disability SSDI payments, you must:
- Be unable to work for at least one year due to a medical condition (which can be mental, physical, or a combination of multiple issues).
- Have enough and recent work credits earned in jobs where you paid Social Security payroll taxes. If you’re at least 30 years old when you apply, you’ll need 40 work credits to qualify.
- Meet the SSA’s federal definition of disability. That means your medical records can show your symptoms and diagnosis are severe enough to limit your daily life activities.
- Not currently receive benefits from any other Social Security program. This includes things like early retirement, regular Social Security at full retirement age, or spousal benefit payments.
- Show your individual monthly income is less than
if you’re disabled, or $2,590 if you’re blind. The SSDI program only looks at your income, not that of your spouse, a roommate, or anyone else also living in your home.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): What Is the Average and Maximum Benefit Amount?
The maximum SSDI monthly payment a person can get for Nevada disability in 2024 is $3,822. The average, however, is around $1,537 per month. This is because your benefit amount depends on how much money you earned during your highest 10 working years. The more you made before you stopped working, the higher your SSDI payment.
Most people get closer to 40% of their average work paycheck in a monthly payment, adjusted for current inflation.
What Healthcare Coverage Is Available for People on SSDI?
Once Disability Determination Services awards you SSDI, you can get access to Medicare coverage. However, you must wait 24 months after your first disability benefit payment goes through before you can sign up. Most applicants qualify for free Medicare part A coverage (hospital insurance) with no monthly premium. However, you may have a small monthly premium deducted from your SSDI payment for Medicare part B coverage.
Can Disabled Children Get SSDI Benefits?
Since this federal program has a work history requirement, children can only qualify as dependents of a disabled parent. So if you get SSDI, your spouse and children can get payments equal to 50% of your benefit amount each month. If you are the parent of a disabled child with few resources or earnings, you should instead apply for Supplemental Security Income.
How Can a Person Qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in Nevada?
Nevada residents with little or no work force participation can still receive disability benefits if they meet certain financial requirements.
Known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), this program provides monthly cash payments to low-income disabled or blind children and adults. General tax revenues (not Social Security taxes) fund SSI benefits, so there is no work history requirement. However, the financial and resource qualifications for SSI are strict.
In order to qualify for Nevada disability benefits through SSI, you must:
- Be blind, disabled, or at least 65 years old when you file your application. You will need to submit medical records in support of your claim if you are younger than 65 on your filing date. This medical evidence must show you are either blind or meet the federal definition of disabled.
- Own less than $2,000 in financial resources ($3,000 per couple). These can include assets like your bank account balances, stocks, savings, or valuables you can sell in exchange for cash.
- Show “countable income” less than the monthly federal benefit rate (FBR). In most cases, the income limits shown above for SSDI applicants is a good guideline for this amount.
If the last item on the SSI qualification criteria list above confused you, you’re not alone. “Countable income” is a rather complex calculation the government uses to determine SSI eligibility. It includes work income but also payments from alimony, workers’ comp, and veterans’ benefits.
The federal benefit rate is the max monthly amount SSI pays individuals, and it changes every year. You cannot make more than the FBR through any combo of countable income and still receive SSI.
How Much Are Monthly SSI Benefits in Nevada?
Applicants who qualify for SSI can receive a maximum benefit of $943 per month, which is the federal benefit rate (FBR). A couple can receive up to $1415. Not everyone gets the same amount. You may get less if you have other income such as child support, or if someone else pays your monthly bills.
What About Health Insurance?
The SSI program also provides Medicaid coverage to disabled Nevada residents the same month their payments begin. However, you should know that enrollment is not automatic. Nevada is one of seven states that requires people on SSI to file separate paperwork to receive Medicaid. Check out the Nevada Health Link for more information on these medical benefits.
What Other Benefits are Available for Disabled Nevada Residents?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is another program that may benefit disabled Nevadans. Formerly known as food stamps, this program offers extra money to buy groceries. Anyone interested should file through the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.
There are also extra state supplements available to you if you’re blind, based on your living situation.
How Long Does It Take to Get Nevada Disability Payments?
Federal law requires a five-month waiting period before anyone with an approved claim can get SSDI payments. If you wait that long to apply after you stop working, then you can skip the waiting period.
If Disability Determination Services denies your first application, you can appeal within 60 days. The first appeal is called a “request for reconsideration.” If that fails, you can still appeal again within 60 days of your denial letter date. That step involves requesting a hearing before an administrative law judge to plead your case. Still, you may wait a while for your court date to arrive.
There are only two Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) locations dealing with appealed claims in Nevada. One in Reno and the other is located in Las Vegas. The good news is the Nevada disability claim approval rate is 46%. But you should still prepare to wait a long time before seeing any money in your pocket.
In especially dire cases, the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances (CAL) list may provide a faster review. It only applies to people with severe conditions though — like certain brain disorders or cancers. If that is you, however, keep the CAL option in mind.
How Do I Apply for Nevada Disability Benefits?
If you think you may be eligible, you have several ways you can file a benefit claim in Nevada:
- Apply online through the portal at SSA.gov. Important: This option is only for SSDI claims. You cannot apply online for SSI benefits at this time.
- File by phone during regular business hours through the SSA’s toll-free service line — 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778).
- Visit your nearest Social Security office to start the application process in person.
Another way of increasing your chances of a positive outcome is consulting with a disability lawyer. Studies show that individuals with attorneys stand a better chance of benefit approval within 180 days or less. This option, like the other three listed above, costs you nothing out of your own pocket.
Boost Your Chances to Receive Benefits the First Time You Apply for Disability
A skilled Social Security lawyer can make you three times more likely to succeed. And disability lawyers work on contingency, so they cost you nothing unless you win benefits. Plus, a lawyer can help you easily get through the application, appeal, and even appear in court on your behalf.
If your claim succeeds, then you will only owe one small fee taken out of your back pay award. SSDI back benefits can pay a maximum of 17 months of payments in one lump sum deposit, for example.
Want to learn if applying is worth the time and effort before you start the paperwork? Click the button below to get a free claim evaluation to see if you may qualify:
Get Your Free Benefits Evaluation
Kimberly Dawn Neumann is a multi-published NYC-based magazine and book writer whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications ranging from Forbes to Cosmopolitan. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland, College of Journalism. For more, visit: www.KDNeumann.com or Instagram @dancerscribe.
