BY MIKE STEIN

As parents, we have enough worries and responsibilities in our lives. On top of taking care of the children, putting food on the table, keeping everything (and everyone) clean and — if we're lucky — getting five minutes a day to sit down and take a deep breath, many parents have full-time jobs to maintain.

Even after our kids are all grown up and have started their own lives, we still need to be there for them emotionally, and sometimes financially as well. That makes it all the more difficult when you have a child and you experience a disability that limits your capacity to work.

One of the first things you should do after experiencing a severe disability is find out if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. These are benefits that you have contributed to throughout your working life, through mandatory payroll taxes. SSDI can help you get by until you're able to work again. If your disability is permanent, SSDI also may become your primary source of income.

That said, applying for SSDI is often a dizzying and stressful process that leaves many would-be beneficiaries (especially full-time moms and dads) at a loss for where to begin, or how to seek assistance. The handy guide at allsup.com/ssdi-101 can help you save time on your application and avoid the most common pitfalls.

Waiting for benefits can be a financial strain as you work to make ends meet. Although it can put food on the table and help cover the basic necessities of life, SSDI isn't meant to replace your previous salary. Making this transition will require lifestyle adjustments, perhaps permanent ones, for you and your family. Items that you formerly purchased without a second thought may now be restricted or out of reach. Brandname food and clothing items might need to be replaced with less expensive, generic versions. Previously standard-budget deci sions need to be reassessed. You'll need to develop and implement a new set of spending habits as early as possible.

Even if you aren't on a fixed income, planning and sticking to a budget can be an immensely valuable skill. Unsure of where to begin? Consider your expenses regular each month: food, rent or mortgage, utilities and car payments. Take advantage of coupons, discounts, sales and tax breaks wherever you can. Put aside any extra cash into an account that earns interest. Revisit the budget each month as your family's needs change, and don't forget to account for your medical expenses. These DO qualify as critical necessities, since staying in charge of your health is paramount.

Because of the long wait for benefits — sometimes more than two years — people who do not adequately prepare can lose their savings, 401(k)s, cars and sometimes their homes. Many suffer financial ruin, or are faced with foreclosure. Work to reduce spending as quickly as possible, solicit advice from others if necessary and prepare for a long wait.

One of the best strategies is to scan your community for organizations that can help with food, utilities, housing and other expenses to adjust to this new reality. These may include United Way (you can dial 2-1-1 to access assistance), your state Medicaid agency, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other programs.

In addition to SSDI benefits, there may be other sources of income for which you are eligible. These, too, can add an extra layer of security for you and your family during this difficult time. If you had private longterm disability (LTD) benefits, you can receive these in conjunction with SSDI; however, your LTD likely will "offset" its payments with your SSDI payments. For example, if your LTD plan pays you $3,000 a month and you are approved for $1,500 in SSDI monthly benefits, the private insurer will reduce what it sends you by $1,500.

This means you're still getting $3,000 total, but from two different sources.

If your disability is a result of an injury while on the job (e.g., slips, falls or machineryrelated accidents), you may also be eligible for workers' compensation. In most states, if this payment is above a certain amount, the SSA will offset its pay ments to you, similar to LTD insurance. So it's important to check with your employer to determine whether this applies to you.

The possibilities for additional income do not stop there. Your children (if they are minor dependents) can also receive disability benefits if you are on SSDI, up to half the amount of your personal benefit payment. For example, if you receive $2,000 a month in benefit income and have one child, he or she could receive up to $1,000; if there are two dependents, each receives up to $500, and so on. If both you and your spouse have been awarded SSDI benefits, your child's payment would be up to half the rate of the parent that is receiving the highest monthly amount.

In the same vein, your spouse may also qualify for benefits if he or she meets one or more of the following requirements: he or she is 62 years or older at the start of your SSDI payments; he or she cares for a minor child under the age of 16; or he or she cares for a child who is disabled themselves and also collects Social Security.

Some people mistakenly believe that seeking SSDI is a decision to give up on working for good. This couldn't be further from the truth. You're used to financially providing for your children and the rest of your family, and you do not have to give up this financial independence forever simply because you experienced a health condition out of your control. The SSDI program is designed for those who can't work due to a disability for 12 months or more. This could include mothers who have health setbacks for an extended period of time as the result of pregnancy, severe but curable cancers, and organ transplants.

The good news is that, in general, SSDI beneficiaries can work and preserve their benefits. If your condition stabilizes or improves and you are medically able to try returning to work, the Ticket to Work program ( ssa.gov/work) is available. Ticket to Work offers the opportunity to test the waters, without the fear of losing SSDI and Medicare benefits. Anyone who receives SSDI automatically qualifies for Ticket to Work, and there are organiza tions such as Employment Networks (EN) designated by the Social Security Administration to provide free job placement, leads, career counseling and ongoing support. 

They will help you decide what kind of job is a match for your work experience, talents, skills and current abilities.

This program was specifically created to help individuals with disabilities MATCHMAKER: Employment Networks will help you decide what kind of job is a match for your work experience, skills and current abilities. available. Ticket to Work offers the opportunity to test the waters, without the fear of losing SSDI and Medicare benefits. Anyone who receives SSDI automatically qualifies for Ticket to Work, and there are organizaearn more than their minimal SSDI benefit and put them back on the path to financial independence . Unfortunately, few people know that their SSDI benefit was designed to get them back to work, too, but this door is open and waiting for them.

Ticket to Work allows you to work with no restriction on your earnings and continue to receive SSDI benefits during a trial work period, of about a year.

Following that period, beneficiaries are limited to the amount they can earn from "substantial gainful activity" (SGA) and continue to receive their disability benefits. Keep this in mind if you've been working part-time or plan to go back to work. Explore your options with an EN as you transition back to work, and know that the SGA earnings amount is $1,180 per month (or $1,970 for blind individuals). If you are unable to remain at work for less than five years due to your disability, SSA will reinstate your SSDI benefits.

Although the path is a challenging and often complex one, it's not without a light at the end. After receiving SSDI, there are many additional sources of income from which you and your family can benefit, and going back to work is a real option. Get educated, get assistance and get your life back.

MATCHMAKER: Employment Networks will help you decide what kind of job is a match for your work experience, skills and current abilities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mike Stein, assistant vice president of operations strategy and planning, has 25 years experience helping people with disabilities through his work with Allsup. He has served in a variety of roles related to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), veterans disability appeal and Medicare services, always focusing on process improvement and quality service to customers.