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?Almost 25,000 Hawaiians receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They’ve all completed the long application and been approved — proof that you’re not alone no matter how intimidating the process may seem.
To help you apply for disability in Hawaii, this guide will explain what you need to know about eligibility, the application process, and the size of your potential benefit checks.
1. Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI): Hawaiians may qualify for statewide TDI, which can last for up to 26 weeks. To claim benefits, you must have a non-work-related injury or illness that will temporarily leave you unable to work (if it’s work-related, apply for workers’ compensation instead).
There’s also a work history requirement. To be eligible for TDI, you must have worked at least 14 weeks in Hawaii before your injury or illness and been paid for at least 20 hours of work. You can apply after a seven-day waiting period following your injury/illness. If you’re approved, you may receive up to 58% of your former wages, although the most you can receive per week is $765 in 2023.
2. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): SSDI is a federal program available to Americans who’ve worked before but have a medical condition that makes it impossible for them to continue. Of all disability programs, SSDI has the largest benefits. Your actual benefit amount depends on how much income you’ve earned and how much you’ve paid in Social Security taxes. You’re more likely to qualify if you’ve worked and paid taxes for at least five of the last 10 years. SSDI also comes with Medicare coverage.
3. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): People with limited income and assets can qualify for disability benefits through SSI. This program is also a good fit for people who haven’t worked much or at all, like a child with a disability. You’ll also get Medicaid health insurance in addition to your SSI payments.
4. Veterans disability benefits: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers its own disability program for active and retired veterans who were injured during their military service and can’t work because of it. It’s also possible to get VA benefits alongside SSDI and SSI. Learn more about applying for VA benefits.
5. Long-term or short-term private disability insurance: You can purchase a private disability policy from an insurance company, but many employers also sponsor them. You can file a claim if you had a disability insurance plan before your medical condition developed. Payments are usually worth up to 60% of your former paychecks and may last for months or years. Check your individual plan details for specifics. Long-term disability insurance plans usually require you to apply for SSDI anyway.
The remainder of this guide will focus on SSDI and SSI since those are the two programs that will cover most Hawaii residents with disabilities. For more on the other programs, try our more detailed guide on the types of disability benefits.
