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?About 74,000 people in Iowa currently receive Social Security disability benefits. Getting approved for disability is often easier said than done, but the monthly payments can help make ends meet during a difficult time.
To better understand if you qualify for benefits, we’ll explain what disability programs are available in Iowa, how the application process works, and how much benefits could be worth for you.
Five states in the U.S. offer a statewide disability program, though Iowa isn’t one of them. Residents in Iowa can still qualify for benefits through other federal and private insurance programs.
Here are the four programs that people with disabilities in Kansas are most likely to qualify for:
The remainder of this guide will focus on SSDI and SSI. They’re the most common type of disability benefits available to people in Iowa.
In fact, even if you have a private insurance policy, your insurer may still require you to apply for Social Security disability (and decrease your benefits if you don’t).
Skip the reading. See which benefits you qualify for in 2 minutes or less. Take the quiz.There are specific medical and technical requirements you must meet to qualify for SSDI and SSI. The medical requirements are the same for both programs but the work and income requirements are different.
Below is a breakdown of the most important information you should know about qualifying for disability.
You can qualify for disability benefits if you have a medical condition that leaves you unable to work and is expected to continue for at least one year. SSA data released in 2022 shows the most common conditions among people who receive disability in Iowa:
Mental health conditions also qualify for benefits. A few of the most common mental health disorders reported by benefits recipients are:
To qualify for SSDI, you must:
To qualify for SSI, you must:
To apply for disability benefits, you’ll first need to fill out the main application (Form SSA-16). Then there are additional forms where you have to provide information on your day-to-day functioning, work history, and the treatment you receive for your health condition.
Filling out these forms on your own is certainly possible, but a disability lawyer can also complete the application for you.
There are three ways you can file your disability benefits application:
If you are filling out the application on your own, consider applying in person. The SSA staff can’t provide legal advice but they can offer tips on how best to answer the application questions.
The application process can take longer than you might think — especially if you’re applying without a lawyer’s assistance. Meanwhile a lawyer can help you keep track of all the deadlines, necessary paperwork, and other requirements.
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 after they fill out the application for you, they’ll confirm that the SSA has received it. For more free legal advice on the application or finding the right lawyer, Atticus can help. Fill out our 2-minute disability quiz to get started.
Unfortunately, only about 20% of initial applications are approved. At that point, you can file for a reconsideration. More than 90% of reconsiderations are still rejected but then your odds go up. The next step is to request a hearing before a judge.
You have the highest chances of acceptance if you endure to the hearing stage. Nearly 50% of hearings end in approval. Your chances of approval are also three times higher if you have a lawyer throughout the process.
It can take a long time — even years — to get a final decision from the SSA about your disability benefits applications.
In 2022, it took an average of 5.5 months (165 days) for a person to receive an initial decision about their application. Applicants had to wait another 4.9 months for a reconsideration request to be processed. The average wait time for a hearing in Iowa was 14 months, bringing the whole process to just over two years.
Hearing office
Wait time for hearing
West Des Moines
The only ways to potentially speed up the process are to send in all requested documentation as quickly as possible and to meet the SSA deadlines. Your lawyer can help with both of these, along with calling the SSA to check on your application status.
The amount of your disability checks is based on the type of benefits you receive and your income or work 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 Iowa residents is $1,291.55. However, the exact amount of your SSDI benefit check will depend on your work history. The maximum possible SSDI benefit is $3,822 per month in 2024.
To figure out your potential SSDI paycheck, go to SSA.gov and make an account. Here’s how:
The maximum anyone can receive from SSI is $943 per month in 2024. The average monthly SSI payment in Iowa is $555.95, slightly lower than the national average.
To determine the value of your SSI check, the SSA subtracts all other monthly income you have — such as money from part-time work, stock earnings, and even SNAP benefits — from the maximum amount.
Working with a disability lawyer is a major help throughout the application process. They will fill out the application forms for you, stay on top of deadlines, communicate with the SSA, prepare you for a hearing, cross-examine witnesses at your hearing, and help you make the best possible case for disability benefits. In fact, you’re three times more likely to win benefits if you have a lawyer than if you don’t.
Consider these five essential points as you look for a disability lawyer in Iowa:
Searching for a lawyer is difficult, but Atticus is here to help. We’ve done the hard work of vetting disability lawyers from across the country, and we can match you with a qualified attorney for free. Fill out our disability eligibility quiz to get started and our team will follow up with 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 Iowa. 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 Iowa is $1,291.55 per month. The average SSI payment is $555.95 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, Iowa 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 Iowa can apply for federal disability programs (SSDI and SSI). Read more about SSDI and SSI here.
