Atticus offers free, high-quality disability advice for Americans who can't work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience, and have helped over 10,000 Americans apply for disability benefits.
Why trust us?Nearly 67,000 people in Kansas receive Social Security disability benefits, which include monthly payments and access to free healthcare. Getting approved for disability is often harder than people anticipate, but it isn’t impossible.
To help set you up for success, this guide will take you through what programs are available in Kansas, how to qualify, and how much your payments may be worth.
Only five states in the U.S. have a statewide disability program and unfortunately Kansas isn’t one of them. However, Kansas residents can still apply and qualify for other private and federal programs.
Here are the programs that people with disabilities qualify for most often:
The rest of this guide will cover only SSDI and SSI since they’re the most common types of benefits available to Kansas residents. And even if you apply for private insurance programs, your insurance company may still require you to apply for SSDI.
Skip the reading. See which benefits you qualify for in 2 minutes or less. Take the quiz.You must meet specific medical and technical requirements in order to qualify for SSDI and SSI. Both programs have the same medical requirements but their work and income requirements differ.
Below is a breakdown of information you need to know about qualifying for disability.
Disability benefits are only an option if you’ve been diagnosed with a medical condition that leaves you unable to work. Your condition must also be expected to continue for at least one year.
SSA data released in 2022 lists the most common conditions among people who receive disability benefits in Kansas:
Mental health conditions can also qualify for benefits. A few of the most common mental health disorders among people in Kansas with benefits are:
To qualify for SSDI, you must:
To qualify for SSI, you must:
To apply for disability benefits, there is a main application form (Form SSA-16) plus a few supplementary forms that ask for information about your work history, day-to-day functioning, and any treatment you receive for your condition.
While filling out these forms on your own is an option, an experienced disability lawyer can also fill out the application for you.
There are three ways you can file your disability benefits application:
Submitting your application in person is a great idea if you are completing it independently because you can get tips from SSA staff on how to answer questions.They can’t provide legal advice but information on the how to give accurate answers is still helpful.
Filling out your application (and then waiting for a decision) can take longer than you’d expect, especially if you’re applying on your own. Consider working with a lawyer for help keeping track of all the deadlines, paperwork and other requirements for your disability application.
Here are some key things you need to do if you’re applying on your own:
Another perk of working with a lawyer is that they can fill out the application for you, submit it, and then confirm that the SSA has received it. Atticus can also help by giving you free legal advice on completing your application or finding the right lawyer. Fill out our 2-minute disability quiz to get started.
Unfortunately, not many applications are approved after the first review. Around 70% of people are denied benefits, leading them to file for reconsideration. Still, over 90% of reconsiderations are rejected. Next you can request a hearing before a judge, and this stage gives you the highest chance of acceptance. Nearly 50% of people at hearings are approved for benefits. Your chances of approval also increase if you have a lawyer to advocate on your behalf — applicants with lawyers are three times more likely to win benefits.
It can take a long time to get a final decision from the SSA about your disability benefits. Because so many applications are denied at the first review, the follow-up reviews contribute the most to the extended wait time.
In 2022, it took an average of 5.5 months (165 days) for a person to receive an initial decision on their application. Applicants had to wait another 4.9 months for a reconsideration request to be processed, if they followed through with this step. The average wait time for a hearing in Kansas was 15.5 months. All told, the process takes an average of 25.9 months in Kansas.
Here’s a breakdown of hearing wait times by SSA offices in Kansas.
Hearing office
Wait time for hearing
There also isn’t really a way to speed up this process. The only way to get benefits faster is to send in any requested follow-up documentation as quickly as possible and meet all SSA deadlines — both of which a lawyer can help you do.
The amount of your disability checks depends on what type of benefits you receive and your work or income history.
We'll use the Social Security Administration's formula to estimate your monthly benefit.
Find your amountAccording to the most recent SSA data, the average monthly SSDI benefit for Kansas residents is $1,321.28. The exact amount of your SSDI benefit check is based on your work history. The highest possible SSDI benefit anyone can receive is $3,822 in 2024.
To figure out your potential SSDI paycheck, start by going to SSA.gov and making an account:
The average monthly SSI payment in Kansas is $568.08, very similar to the national average. The maximum anyone can receive from SSI in 2024 is $943 per month.
To determine the amount of your SSI check, the SSA subtracts all other monthly income you have — including SNAP benefits, stock earnings, and money from part-time work — from the maximum amount.
Having an experienced disability lawyer is a major help throughout the application process. They can fill out the application forms, help you stay on top of deadlines, communicate with the SSA, prepare you for a hearing, cross-examine witnesses, and simply help you make the best possible case for disability benefits. You’re also three times more likely to win benefits if you have a lawyer versus if you don’t.
Consider these five essential points as you search for a disability lawyer in Kansas:
Atticus can simplify your lawyer search by matching you with an experienced lawyer for free. We have an extensive network of vetted lawyers and can connect you with someone who will treat you with respect throughout your application. Fill out our eligibility quiz to get started and a member of our team will reach out for next steps.
Ready to get benefits today? See if you qualify.To qualify for disability you need to have a condition that prevents you from working for at least a year. You’ll also need to meet certain work history requirements (for SSDI) or be within certain income limits (for SSI). For more on these requirements, read our full write up here.
Any condition that will prevent you from working for a year or more can qualify for disability benefits. Some of the most common conditions include musculoskeletal disorders, mental disorders, nervous system diseases, and circulatory system diseases. See our full list of conditions that qualify here.
It takes an average of 6.1 months to get an initial disability decision in Kansas. Most people who apply are initially rejected, and need to appeal this decision. If you appeal and go to a hearing, the process takes around two years on average. Read more: How Long It Takes to Get Approved for Disability Benefits
The average SSDI payment in Kansas is $1,321.28 per month. The average SSI payment is $568.08 per month. What you’ll earn is dependent on your income, or the amount you’ve historically paid into the Social Security program. Read more on what amount you can expect.
Answer the application questions truthfully, consistently, and succinctly. You should also ensure that you gather and submit all your medical records with your application. The SSA paperwork can be complicated, so our legal team has written a full guide to the application here.
No, Kansas doesn't have a state disability program. Only five states (California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) have a state program. Residents of Kansas can apply for federal disability programs (SSDI and SSI). Read more about SSDI and SSI here.
