How to Qualify for Disability in Kentucky

If you or someone you know in Kentucky has developmental disabilities, has suffered a life-altering illness or work accident, or has some other ailment that prevents him from holding onto a job, disability benefits through the federal Social Security Administration may be warranted. Qualifying for disability in Kentucky hinges on whether an applicant has a physical or mental disability preventing him from working for at least a year and has worked long enough to qualify for benefits. Once you apply online or in person, Kentucky's Disability Determination Service program will decide whether someone receives disability payments.

Instructions

• 1

  Prepare a packet of information you'll need to support your disability claim, including your Social Security number, your W2s, bank account numbers for direct deposit of your benefit checks and medical documentation that proves the extent of your disability. Navigate to the Social Security Administration's website and press the "Application for Benefits" tab.

• 2

  Fill out and submit the benefits form and the "Disability Report," which requires details about your disability and a timeline of jobs you've held. Visit one of Kentucky's 25 Social Security offices for a hard-copy application you can complete by hand if you don't have Internet access or have a disability that prevents you from using a computer.

• 3

  Print out the "Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration" form. Sign and date the document and have a witness sign, too. Mail or hand deliver the form to the nearest Kentucky Social Security office, which you can find by calling 1-800-772-1213 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

• 4

  Await contact from Kentucky's Disability Determination Services program, which will provide details on a time and place for a free medical evaluation that will corroborate your disability and notify you if your request for disability benefits has been approved.