About Disability Help Today: Clear, Trustworthy SSDI and SSI Guidance
Disability Help Today is a national information hub for people working through SSDI and SSI. Disability Help Today is an independent Social Security Disability resource focused on adults 50–62. We are not a law firm, and we charge no fees. Our role is to explain your options in plain language, give you free tools to understand your own situation, and connect you with the right professional when you need one.
If you're over 50 and have stopped working because of a health condition, you've probably felt buried by paperwork, worn down by an earlier denial, and unsure who to trust.
We built this platform for you. We bring SSDI, SSI, Medicaid, and local resources together in one place, explained clearly, so you understand where you stand and what comes next.
Here's who we are, how we work, and why our information holds up.
Who we are
What Disability Help Today is (and what it isn't)
Disability Help Today is a free information and resource platform, not a law firm or a representation service. We exist to help you understand disability benefits and find your footing, without the sales pressure that comes from a business built to sign you as a client.
We do three things at once:
-
A trusted source of information
We explain how SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) and SSI (Supplemental Security Income) work, in language written for real people rather than for lawyers.
-
A guide to your next step
We help you understand your rights and figure out the best move for your situation, whether that's filing, appealing, or finding local support while you wait.
-
A connection to the right help
When representation makes sense, we connect you with a qualified disability attorney or representative.
WHAT WE DON'T DO
Because we're not the lawyer, our guidance on whether to hire one stays honest, including the situations where hiring one isn't necessary.
- We don't represent claimants.
- We don't appear at hearings.
- We don't file your appeal.
- We charge nothing for any of it.
Our mission
Our mission
Our mission is to turn the overwhelming SSDI and SSI process into clarity for people who feel lost in it. Every word we write is meant to reduce your overwhelm, never add to it.
About 65% of initial SSDI applications are denied at the first level. For someone already dealing with illness and lost income, a denial letter feels like a closed door. It isn't one. Most people who understand the process and keep going reach a better result than that first letter suggests, and a large share of cases are approved later in the appeals process.
We started Disability Help Today because the information people needed was scattered across dozens of confusing sites, most of them built to capture a lead rather than to help. We wanted one place people over 50 could come to, get a straight answer, and leave with a clear next step.
65%
of initial SSDI applications are denied at the first level. A denial isn't a closed door.
The whole picture
What we do across 14 areas of the disability picture
We cover the entire disability picture in one place, from the application and appeals to Medicaid, housing, food assistance, and mental health support. Most sites cover one slice. We connect the whole situation, because the whole situation is what you're living.
Our guides span the parts of the process people ask us about most:
-
How to apply, step by step, in our application process guides.
-
What to do if your claim was denied, including the 60-day deadline to request the next level of appeal.
-
How Medicaid and the Medicare wait fit together (SSDI recipients qualify for Medicare 24 months after their benefits begin, with exceptions for ALS and end-stage renal disease).
-
Where to find food assistance and housing help while a claim is pending.
-
An honest, independent guide to deciding whether you need a disability lawyer.
Two facts shape a lot of what we explain.
SSDI and SSI are different
FIRSTSSDI is based on the work history and Social Security taxes you've paid, while SSI is need-based with strict income and asset limits. The two programs get confused constantly, and the difference changes what you qualify for.
Age 50+ works in your favor
SECONDIf you're 50 or older, SSA's medical-vocational guidelines, often called the grid rules, evaluate your claim more favorably. A lot of people over 50 qualify and don't realize it.
Take Maria, 57, who spent 19 years as a hospital aide before her back gave out. She assumed she was too young to be “disabled” and nearly didn't apply. The age rules worked in her favor, and understanding them changed her decision.
Stories like hers are why we put the whole picture in front of you, not one narrow piece of it.
Our standards
How we keep our information trustworthy
Every fact we publish is tied to primary sources like SSA.gov and the Code of Federal Regulations, then reviewed for accuracy before it goes live. We don't guess, and we don't promise outcomes.
Where a number changes from year to year, such as benefit amounts, income limits, or the income threshold for substantial work, we tell you it's time-sensitive and point you to the official page so you're never relying on a stale figure. For resource topics, we draw on federal sources beyond SSA, including Medicaid.gov, HUD for housing, and USDA for food assistance. That's what “trust that is earned” means to us: we back up what we say with evidence you're free to check yourself.
Primary sources we rely on
- SSA.gov
- The Code of Federal Regulations
- Medicaid.gov
- HUD, for housing
- USDA, for food assistance
Free tools
Free tools that help you understand your situation
Our free tools give you answers specific to you, not just general information, in a few minutes and without giving up your rights or paying a fee. General guides explain the rules. Tools tell you where you stand.
-
Eligibility checker
The eligibility checker walks you through a short set of questions and points you toward whether SSDI, SSI, or both fit your situation.
Check Eligibility -
SSDI calculator
The SSDI calculator gives you an estimate of what your monthly benefit might look like.
-
Resource finder
The resource finder lets you search by zip code for nearby help across all 14 categories, from SSA field offices to free clinics.
Our values
Our values
We're guided by six commitments: clarity, genuine empathy, trust that is earned, dignity without judgment, empowerment, and access for all. They aren't wall art. They decide how we write.
-
Clarity
-
Genuine empathy
-
Trust that is earned
-
Dignity without judgment
-
Empowerment
-
Access for all
DIGNITY WITHOUT JUDGMENT
Dignity without judgment matters most to the people we serve. Many of our readers never pictured themselves needing disability benefits and don't use the word “disabled” about themselves. That's fine.
You don't have to identify with a label to deserve clear answers and the support you've earned through years of work.
Ages 50–62
Why we focus on adults 50 to 62
We focus on adults 50 to 62 because SSA uses age categories when it evaluates a disability claim, and several of those categories fall within these years.
Under 20 CFR 404.1563, 50 to 54 is “closely approaching advanced age,” 55 and older is “advanced age,” and 60 to 64 is also called “closely approaching retirement age.”
-
SSA AGE CATEGORY
50–54
Closely approaching advanced age
-
SSA AGE CATEGORY
55+
Advanced age
-
SSA AGE CATEGORY
60–64
Closely approaching retirement age
At the last step of its evaluation, SSA considers your age, education, and past work experience together with what you can still do physically and mentally (20 CFR 404.1520 and 404.1560). SSA's Medical-Vocational Guidelines, often called the “grid rules,” are the framework where age, education, and work history are weighed together (20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 2).
Age is one factor in the evaluation. Medical evidence of your condition is still required (20 CFR 404.1563), and our conditions guides cover that side of a claim.
These years also bring decisions about retirement and health coverage. Social Security retirement benefits can start as early as 62, but starting early permanently reduces the monthly amount (SSA). People who receive SSDI generally become eligible for Medicare after 24 months of disability benefit entitlement (SSA, CMS). Our benefits guides and age guide explain how these pieces fit together.
See how your age may affect your claim.
A free review looks at your age, your work, and your health together.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Disability Help Today a law firm?
No. Disability Help Today is an information and resource platform. We don't provide legal representation and we don't appear at hearings. When you need one, we connect you with a qualified disability attorney or representative.
Does Disability Help Today charge fees?
No. We charge no fees because we provide no representation. Our guides, our tools, and a review of your situation are all free.
Is Disability Help Today legitimate and trustworthy?
Yes. Our content is tied to primary sources such as SSA.gov and the Code of Federal Regulations and reviewed for accuracy, so you're relying on facts you're free to verify.
How does Disability Help Today help me?
We explain SSDI and SSI in plain language, give you free tools to check eligibility and estimate benefits, and connect you with the right professional or local resource when you need one.
Is Disability Help Today free to use?
Yes. Reading our guides, using our tools, and requesting a free review of your situation cost you nothing.
What is the difference between Disability Help Today and a disability lawyer?
A disability lawyer represents you and is paid only if your claim succeeds, from your back pay, at a rate set by federal rules. We're a neutral information hub, so we help you understand your options first, including whether you need a lawyer at all, and connect you with one only if it fits your situation.
Free 50+ review
Your next step
You don't have to sort this out alone, and you don't have to sort it out today. Start wherever you are: read the guide that matches your situation, try a tool, or find local help near you.
If you'd like a free review of your situation, we can look at where you stand and connect you with the right help. Start your free case review or find help near you with the resource finder.
Disclaimer: Disability Help Today is an information and resource platform. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, legal services, or representation. Our content is for general educational purposes. Every disability case is different. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified disability attorney or representative. We can help connect you with one.