How long does it take to get disability benefits in Georgia? How much will the program pay? What's considered a disability anyway?
Our short answers: The process can take a few months or several years. The benefits can amount to nine-figures over your lifetime. And many conditions qualify — as long it renders you unable to work for a year or more.
Still have questions? We still have answers. Read on to learn more about how to apply for disability in Georgia, which benefit programs you should apply for, what conditions qualify, and how to find the right lawyer (if you need one).
Georgia doesn’t have a state-based disability benefits program — but there are some national and private disability options Georgians can qualify for.
1. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): SSDI supports Americans who can no longer work due to a medical condition. Generally if you’ve worked for five of the last ten years, you qualify for SSDI (more on that below). The program is run through the Social Security Administration, and the amount you receive depends largely on how much you’ve paid into Social Security on your taxes.
2. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): If you haven’t worked enough, or worked recently enough, to qualify for SSDI, you may qualify for SSI. It’s another federal program, and you use the same application to apply. SSI is only for individuals with very little income and very few assets, and generally pays out less monthly than SSDI.
3. Long-Term and short-term private disability insurance: If you (or your employer) purchased disability insurance prior to you becoming disabled—you can file a claim with the private insurer. These pay out a percentage of your former income—but the exact amount and duration of the benefit will depend on the policy.
4. Veterans disability benefits: If you served in the military and suffered an injury that left you unable to work, or you’re retired but have a medical condition as a result of your service, you should apply for disability benefits through Veterans Affairs. For more information, visit the VA’s disability benefits website.
For the rest of this article, we’re going to focus on SSDI and SSI. These are the programs most people qualify for in Georgia, and is generally what someone means when they talk about “applying for disability.”
It’s also frequently necessary to apply for SSDI and SSI when trying to qualify for other programs (like most long-term disability plans). Or, they’re advantageous to apply for in conjunction with other programs (like VA benefits).
Some particularly severe or terminal conditions (stage 4 cancer, ALS), may be listed for compassionate allowance. In these cases, you automatically qualify for federal benefits (so long as you meet the work or income requirements).
Most Americans, however, have a condition that is debilitating, but much less rare or severe.
Amongst these the most common condition types to qualify in Georgia were:
Within the category of mental disorders, the the most common conditions were:
If your condition isn’t explicitly listed, you could still qualify for benefits. You’ll want to be diligent about gathering your medical records, regularly see a specialist for treatment, and explain on your application how your condition makes it impossible to work.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must:
Learn more in our full guide to SSDI eligibility.
To qualify for SSI, you must:
Here's more information on qualifying for SSI.
You can apply for disability benefits with the help of a lawyer, or on your own. Most often, you’ll be required to file the application and supplementary documentation on your work history, your day-to-day functioning, and your treatment history.
There are three ways to submit an application for disability benefits:
If you’re not applying with a lawyer, it’s generally helpful to apply at the SSA office. They won’t give you legal advice, but can advise you on how to answer the application questions accurately.
It takes most people hours to submit an application because of the documentation needed.
Here’s what you’ll need to do to submit an application:
If you’re working with a lawyer, they should fill out your application for you (the right way), and confirm receipt with the SSA. (If you’d like more advice on how to fill out the initial application, or how you can find the right lawyer — Atticus can help out for free).
While some people have their application accepted at the initial decision stage — most people (~69.3%) are rejected, and have to file for reconsideration. ~91% of reconsiderations are also rejected, and applicants request a hearing with an administrative law judge.
At a hearing, more than half of people win benefits — and your odds increase threefold if you work with a lawyer. We wrote at length about what to expect at a hearing and your chances of winning your appeal.
The length of time it takes to get benefits can vary. Most applicants will be denied at first, and there will be waits from the SSA between stages of the appeal process.
In 2021, to receive an initial decision took an average of 5.5 months (165 days).
The time to process reconsideration requests took 4.9 months (147 days).
The time you wait for your hearing date depends on your SSA hearing office. The average wait in Georgia, between requesting a hearing and appearing at one, is anywhere from eight months to 15 months.
Office | Wait time |
Atlanta | 10 months |
Atlanta (North) | 15 months |
Covington | 8 months |
Macon | 10 months |
Savannah | 10.5 months |
Adding these up, if you file your paperwork immediately, it takes 1.74 years to get disability benefits in Georgia. Once you add in the time spent sending in supplementary forms, filing for reconsideration, requesting a hearing, and waiting for the judge’s decision — most applicants will spend around two to two and a half years going from application to approval.
Sending the SSA your documentation as soon as possible is the only way to speed up this process — so it’s important to meet deadlines, and get forms and medical records their way as fast as possible. Your lawyer can help you stay on track, and will call to confirm the SSA has all the information they need.
The average monthly benefit for disabled workers in Georgia was $1,279.98 per month (according to the most recent SSA data). This is slightly more than the nationwide average but well below the maximum possible SSDI benefit of $3,627 in 2023.
It’s easy to learn exactly what you would qualify for by signing up for an SSA.gov account. To check your potential benefit amount, and your SSDI work-history eligibility:
The maximum you can receive for SSI nationwide is $914 per month, though the average monthly SSI payment in Georgia is $565.54 per month.
The SSA will subtract any other regular monthly income from this amount. So if you make any additional income (ie. stocks and investments, SNAP benefits, part-time work, etc.), that will be deducted from your monthly check.
When you’re applying, disability lawyers can save you from critical application missteps and save you weeks of paperwork.
At the hearing stage, they’re critical to have in your corner. They cross examine witnesses from the state and help you make the best possible case before a judge.
Overall, applicants with a lawyer on their side are three times more likely to win benefits than those without, and 83% of applicants have legal representation at the hearing stage.
If you’re trying to vet for a disability lawyer on your own, ask these questions before choosing one:
It can be challenging to suss out great lawyers from mediocre lawyers without a legal background. If you’d like to be matched with a lawyer who’s a great fit for your claim, Atticus can help (for free).
We’ve spent years vetting disability lawyers and have built a network of legal teams (chosen from the top 5% of firms). We trust them to treat our clients well, and to win their cases. If you want our help evaluating the right disability lawyer for you, sign up here.
Jackie Jakab
Lead Attorney
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