Maryland Disability Benefits

Social Security Disability in Maryland helps disabled Maryland residents obtain the housing, food, and care they need if they are unable to work due to some disability. The maximum benefit amount is $2,148, but SSDI payment amounts vary from recipient to recipient since the amount is calculated using a formula that takes work history into account.

Facts About Maryland

An estimated 21.5% of the adult population in Maryland has some sort of disability that might qualify them for SSDI. These disabilities include functional impairments in terms of mobility, cognition, independent living, hearing, vision, and self care.

Adults with disabilities are significantly more likely to have issues with smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and staying active. An individual with developmental disabilities might also need a caregiver to assist with life tasks. The average cost for a caregiver or home care provider in Maryland is around $21 per hour. SSDI can also help defray these expenses.

How To Qualify for SSDI in Maryland

The Social Security Administration awards SSDI benefit payments to disabled individuals with a condition that will last at least 12 months or eventually result in death. The disability must prevent you from doing any type of work. The SSA will make a determination based on your medical condition and work history. Generally speaking, you will need at least 40 credits to collect disability benefit payments, 20 of which must have been earned in the past decade.

Earning credits may be easier than you think. If you earned $5,880 in 2021, you’ve worked enough to earn all four work credits for the year. Unlike SSI or Veterans benefits, the exact nature of the disability does not determine the size of the monthly benefit payment, nor can financial resources (such as a retirement account) prevent one from collecting SSDI.

How To Apply for SSDI in Maryland

If you live in Maryland, there are about 20 different SSA field offices where you can walk in and apply for SSDI. Please note that these locations are not always the same as the local Maryland Department of Health and Human Services (MDHS) or state-administered social services buildings where you might apply for food stamps or Maryland Medicaid.

You can also apply for SSDI over the phone by calling 800-772-1213, or online at SSA.gov. If approved, the amount of disability awarded to an individual is based on a formula that takes into account the top 35 years of wage earning, divided by 420 (the number of months in that period) to find the AIME (average indexed monthly earnings). This amount is then multiplied against a percentage based on income brackets to find the PIA – primary insurance amount. This amount is entirely based on work history, not disability. However, you need to provide clear proof of a disability to the SSA in order to collect SSDI.

How to Appeal a Denial in Maryland

Do you disagree with a decision regarding your Social Security Disability application? You can appeal to the SSA by starting with a request for reconsideration. You can submit new evidence regarding your medical history, work history, or financial resources.

If that does not reverse the initial decisions, you can request a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Approximately 44% of the cases heard by an ALJ are successfully appealed.

If you are still unhappy with the decision, the next step is to file a request for a review by the Appeals Council. They will review the merits of your case and return it to an ALJ or decide it themselves. The final level of appeal is to take your case to a federal district court, though this is uncommon. An attorney can help you explore other options like permanent partial disability or permanent total disability provided as part of Maryland workers compensation insurance.

More Maryland Benefits

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is run by the SSA but is different than SSDI. SSI is another federal program to assist those who are 65 or older, are disabled or blind, or have limited financial resources. SSI is administered based on disability and financial hardship, while SSDI is administered based on disability and work history.

Usually, the SSA will check to see if you qualify for SSI when you apply for SSDI, so you do not need to fill out a separate application. But if you’d like to explore other benefits available to Maryland residents such as SNAP and WIC (food-related benefits), Medicare, rent assistance, and energy assistance, you will need to contact your local branch of the Maryland DHS (Department of Human Services).

For Maryland residents who don’t have health insurance through their workplace and who are not able to purchase their plan out of pocket due to limited financial resources, Maryland Medicaid will provide them with medical insurance. There are several insurance plans to choose from, so it’s important to see which ones your preferred doctor or primary care physician accepts.

For those Maryland Residents who are out of work, Maryland Unemployment Benefits can assist in defraying the cost of living until other employment has been secured. Claimants can apply over the phone by calling 667-207-6520 or by using the online BEACON system.

Maryland Social Security Offices

SSA Field Office Locations in Maryland
Balto NE SSA Office	2401 Belair Rd Ste 106 Baltimore, MD 21213	(866) 336-9653
Balto West SSA Office	1531 S Edgewood St Suite S Baltimore, MD 21227	(877) 870-6381
Abingdon SSA Office	Corporate Center Dr 3435A Box Hill Abingdon, MD 21009	(877) 701-2142
Cambridge SSA Office	828 Airpax Road Suite 500 Cambridge, MD 21613	(888) 347-9277
Elkton SSA Office	300 Big Elk Mall Elkton, MD 21921	(866) 331-2218
Columbia SSA Office	Lakeside Bldg Ste 110 Columbia, MD 21045	(877) 445-0504
Balto Rossville SSA Office	6820 Hospital Dr Suite 100 Baltimore, MD 21237	(866) 348-5818
Owings Mills SSA Office	5 Park Center Court Suite 100 Owings Mills, MD 21117	(866) 681-1412
Baltimore Wabash SSA Office	6100A Wabash Avenue Baltimore Wabash Baltimore, MD 21215	(866) 708-3210
Baltimore Dtn SSA Office	1010 Park Ave Suite 200 Baltimore, MD 21201	(866) 931-9942
Salisbury SSA Office	2414 Northgate Dr Suite 1 Salisbury, MD 21801	(866) 273-5083
Cumberland SSA Office	217 Glenn St Suite 100 Cumberland, MD 21502	(866) 964-7409
Hagerstown SSA Office	1710 Underpass Way Suite 100 Hagerstown, MD 21740	(866) 331-7125
Annapolis SSA Office	185 Harry S Truman Pkwy Suite 114 Annapolis, MD 21401	(888) 840-0684
Towson SSA Office	28 Allegheny Avenue 4th Floor Towson, MD 21204	(866) 614-4758
Silver Spring SSA Office	10230 New Hampshire Ave Ste 304 Silver Spring, MD 20903	(877) 512-3848
Glen Burnie SSA Office	337 Hospital Dr Suite 1A Glen Burnie, MD 21061	(866) 528-9873
Camp Springs SSA Office	6110 Allentown Road Suitland, MD 20746	(877) 512-3849
Frederick SSA Office	5340 Spectrum Drive Suite N Frederick, MD 21703	(866) 331-7089
Charlotte Hall SSA Office	30071 Business Ctr Dr Charlotte Hall, MD 20622	(888) 866-5181
Rockville SSA Office	315 N Washington St Rockville, MD 20850	(866) 838-5341
Westminster SSA Office	125 Airport Dr Unit 10 Westminster, MD 21157	(877) 694-5496
Greenbelt SSA Office	7401 Forbes Blvd Suite C Seabrook, MD 20706	(866) 338-4115

Maryland Hearing and Appeal Offices

Maryland is in Region 3 (Philadelphia), which services Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and District of Columbia.

Region 3 – SSA Office of Hearing Operations in Maryland
SSA Hearing Office – Baltimore	1010 Park Avenue Room 300 Baltimore, MD 21201-5600	(866) 613-3960
SSA Hearing Office – Baltimore	1718 Woodlawn Drive Woodlawn Office Complex Baltimore, MD 21207	(410) 965-0134
SSA Hearing Office – Towson	849 Fairmount Avenue Suite 450 Towson, MD 21286	(877) 711-5019
SSA Hearing Office – Baltimore	1718 Woodlawn Drive Suite 1311 Baltimore, MD 21207	(410) 965-8795