Georgia Disability Benefits: How to Qualify, Apply, and Get Approved

How long does it take to get Social Security disability benefits in Georgia? How much will the program pay? What's considered a disability anyway?

Our short answers: The application process can take several months or 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 the state of Georgia, which benefits programs you should apply for, what conditions qualify, and how to find the right disability lawyer.

4 Disability programs in Georgia

Georgia doesn’t have a state-based disability benefits program — but there are some national and private disability options Georgians can qualify for if a non-work-related injury or illness prevents them from working. 

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 due to your service, you should apply for disability benefits through Veterans Affairs. You can get VA benefits at the same time as SSDI and SSI. Learn more about how to apply for veterans disability benefits.

If a work-related injury or illness prevents you from working, you might be eligible for workers’ compensation. Learn more about workers’ comp here.

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 they're generally what people mean 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 addition to other programs (like VA benefits).

What medical conditions qualify for disability in Georgia?

Some particularly severe or terminal conditions, like late-stage cancer and early-onset Alzheimer’s, 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 applicants, however, have a condition that is debilitating but much less rare or severe. Among these, the most common condition types to qualify in Georgia are:

• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system: 32.3%

• Mental disorders: 28.3%

• Diseases of the nervous system: 10%

• Diseases of the circulatory system: 8.7%

• Injuries: 3.7%

• Neoplasms (cancers): 3.2%

• Endocrine nutritional and metabolic diseases: 2.4%

• Diseases of the respiratory system: 2.7%

• Diseases of the Genito-urinary system: 2.5%

• Unknown: 1.8%

• Infectious and parasitic diseases: 1.6%

• Diseases of the digestive system: 1.5%

• Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs: 0.4%

• Congenital Abnormalities: 0.4%

• Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue:  0.3%

• Other: 0.2%

Within the category of mental disorders, the most common conditions were:

• Depressive, bipolar, and related disorders: 25,685 people

• Intellectual disorders: 24,453 people

• Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders: 12,233 people

You could still qualify for benefits if your condition isn’t explicitly listed. 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. 

How to qualify for SSDI in Georgia

In addition to the medical qualifications for SSDI benefits, you must:

• Be under 67 years old.

• Meet the requirements for “work credits” for your age. You can check your work credits by making an account at SSA.gov — but most people qualify if they’ve worked five out of the last ten years.

Learn more in our full guide to SSDI eligibility.

How to qualify for SSI in Georgia

To qualify for SSI, you must:

• Having very little in terms of assets like personal or retirement savings (less than $2,000 or less than $3,000 if you are married).

• Have very little or no income from any source (generally less than $1,000 per month)

Here's more information on qualifying for SSI.

How to apply for disability in Georgia

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. 

How do I submit an application? 

There are three ways to apply for disability benefits: 

1. Apply through the SSA website 

2. Apply by phone by calling (800) 772-1213 

3. Apply in person at your local SSA office 

If you’re not applying with a lawyer, applying at your SSA field office is generally helpful. They won’t give you legal advice but can advise you on how to answer the application questions accurately.

How should I prepare my application in Georgia?

It takes most people a few hours to apply because of the documentation needed. Here’s what you’ll need to do for your disability application:

• Collect your records. This includes medical records, doctor contact information, work history, education records, bank account information, and other documents you must include with your application. 

• Fill out and submit the application and include supplemental documents and forms. All told, the forms can be more than 30 pages and take hours to complete. When filling out the forms, be extremely clear and specific about your limitations and pain level while remaining realistic. It’s also critical to ensure consistency with your answers between forms, as they often ask similar questions. 

• Follow up with SSA right after you submit. Sometimes, applications get lost, and the SSA has a lot of claims to get through. You’ll want to confirm they have received and are processing your application. 

• Respond to any requests from SSA immediately. They may ask for supplemental information or request that you see a SSA doctor. You will typically have 10 days to submit documentation. 

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). 

What comes next?

While some people have their application accepted at the initial decision stage — most people (~69.3%) are rejected, and have to file for reconsideration. More than 90% 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.

How long does it take to get disability benefits in Georgia? 

The length of time it takes to get benefits can vary. Most applicants will be denied at first, and there will be waiting periods between stages of the appeal process. 

In 2023, to receive an initial decision took an average of 7.1 months (217 days).

The time to process reconsideration requests took on average 7 months (213 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 6 months to 9 months.

Adding these up, if you file your paperwork immediately, it takes 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.

How much does disability pay in Georgia?

SSDI payments in Georgia

The average monthly benefit for disabled workers in Georgia is $1,702.77. This is slightly more than the nationwide average but well below the maximum possible SSDI benefit of $3,822 in 2024.

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: 

• Visit SSA.gov

• Click “mySocialSecurity”

• Create an account using your Social Security number

• Scroll down to the section titled “Disability”

SSI payments in Georgia

The maximum you can receive for SSI nationwide is $943 per month, though the average monthly SSI payment in Georgia is ​​$597.72.

The SSA will subtract any other regular monthly income from this amount. So if you make any additional income — like stocks and investments or part-time work — that will be deducted from your monthly check.

How to find the right disability lawyer in Georgia

When you’re applying, disability lawyers can save you from critical application missteps and 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. 

How to select a disability lawyer

If you’re trying to vet for a disability lawyer on your own, consider the following:

• Their primary area of practice: Confirm that they only take, or primarily take disability cases — so you know they’ll understand, and prioritize, your case.

• Reviews: Make sure you really read the content of the reviews. A few bad reviews here and there shouldn’t be cause for alarm — but keep an eye out for patterns. If  you’re reading the same points over and over again, like “never calls me back” or “doesn’t show up at hearing” — this might not be a lawyer you can trust.

• Location: Having a local lawyer could be good since they can know the local judges, and you yourself can get to know the lawyer personally. If you find a great fit that works nationally — see if they have a history of taking cases in your region.

• Time practicing: You want to look for lawyers that have been working for a long time as there’s a higher chance of them already working on cases similar to yours. New lawyers can be good too, but they’re harder to vet without a legal background.

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.

Social Security Administration offices in Georgia

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