Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Disability in Arizona

Pekas Smith evaluates your condition against Social Security’s Listing of Impairments and its broader disability standard. Conditions such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease may qualify if they’re severe enough to limit your ability to work. Review the Listing of Impairments or SSA’s official listings, or contact us for a case-specific review.

No. Your condition doesn’t need to be permanent. However, it must significantly limit your ability to work and be expected to last at least 12 months, per SSA’s disability eligibility rules. Whether your condition resulted from an accident, a disease, or chronic pain, Arizona’s Disability Determination Services reviews the documentation to make that determination.

Yes, through Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI doesn’t require a work history, only that you meet the disability standard and stay under the program’s income and resource limits. A Pekas Smith attorney can help determine your eligibility for SSI or SSDI.

No. Working with a Social Security Disability lawyer from the start often improves your chances, since we can help you submit a complete application and avoid delays caused by unnecessary denials. Early legal advice can make a real difference, whether you’re just starting an application or already partway through an appeal.

The Social Security Administration requests your medical records directly from your doctors, but it’s important that those records are complete and reflect your current condition. Pekas Smith coordinates with your health care providers to help gather the medical evidence your claim needs and make sure it supports your reported limitations.

A doctor’s opinion can be part of your medical evidence, but your eligibility is determined by your full medical record, your ability to perform substantial gainful activity, and your response to treatment. Pekas Smith can also guide your providers on how to document your limitations clearly.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is based on the Social Security taxes you paid while working and requires enough work credits along with a qualifying disability. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is based on income and resources rather than work history. Both programs can also provide access to Medicare or Medicaid.

SSDI payments are based on your average covered earnings, using the same formula Social Security applies to retirement benefits. As of 2026, the maximum federal SSI payment is $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 for a married couple, though many recipients receive less depending on their income and living situation. These figures adjust annually, so ask us for your specific estimate.

Possibly. Your spouse and children may be eligible for benefits based on your earnings record if the children are under 18 (or under 19 and still in high school, or any age if disabled before 22). Pekas Smith can review your household to explain your family’s specific eligibility.

Timelines vary by stage and by how backlogged your local hearing office is. Initial decisions typically take six to eight months, per SSA’s own timeline guidance, and an appeal can add a year or more. An attorney familiar with your local hearing office can give you a more specific estimate.

Not right away. Social Security’s Trial Work Period lets SSDI recipients test their ability to work for a set number of months while still receiving full benefits, as long as they report their earnings. Learn more about returning to work and other work incentives, or ask us how the rules apply to your case.

A Continuing Disability Review (CDR) is Social Security’s periodic check on whether you still meet the disability standard. Whether your condition is expected to improve determines how often your case is reviewed: roughly every 6 to 18 months if improvement is expected, about every 3 years if it’s possible, and about every 7 years if it isn’t.

No. Your SSDI benefits automatically convert to Social Security retirement benefits once you reach full retirement age, and the amount you receive doesn’t change. You’ll also no longer be subject to Continuing Disability Reviews once that conversion happens.

SSDI can be garnished for unpaid federal taxes, child support, alimony, or court-ordered restitution, and it can be offset for certain delinquent federal debts. SSI payments cannot be garnished or levied under any circumstances.

Yes. Mental health conditions are evaluated under their own section of Social Security’s Listing of Impairments, the same way physical conditions are. Read more about qualifying for disability with a mental health condition, or contact us to discuss your specific diagnosis and documentation.

Your Social Security Disability benefits generally continue if you move to another state, since SSDI and SSI are federal programs. Some details, like where your hearing is held or your state’s SSI supplement, can change. Learn more about how a move affects your disability benefits.

Yes. If we believe an Administrative Law Judge didn’t properly apply Social Security’s rules, we can file a Request for Review with the Appeals Council, pursue an appeal in the U.S. District Court, or take a case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Learn more about Social Security’s appeals process directly from the SSA.

Yes. Pekas Smith represents clients across Arizona, including rural and underserved areas, with attorneys who appear at hearing offices throughout the state. Wherever you’re located, we use phone, video, and online communication to keep your case moving.