In many societies, women tend to be marginalized and this is so especially when one has a disability that makes them unable to work and earn an income. The good news is, there are avenues through which women can benefit financially:

• Grants

Disabled women get extra opportunities of receiving grants from different sources. The category “women with disabilities” include not only physical but also mental disabilities. This is especially for local governments that are there to help women with disabilities by giving them financial help.

Women falling into this category can seek help not only for direct educational purposes, but also for housing, paying bills, buying food and meeting other needs. It is therefore necessary to provide the potential grant providers with complete information so that the best results can be obtained from the applications.

• Social security disability insurance benefits

Per Marasco & Nesselbush, LLP, women who are unable to work for an extended period because of a disability may make social security disability claims. The application process is lengthy and can take a year or more, so it’s crucial that you file your claim comprehensively with as much documentation as possible to substantiate your claim.

If you qualify, SSDI will enable you to collect monthly benefits to help maintain your financial stability. The good news is, once you are enrolled in the SSDI program, you can apply for Medicaid which assists in covering your medical expenses.

Before you file your claim for SSDI, you must check to see if you fulfill the initial qualifications. First, you must be under the age of 65 to apply. You must have been unable to work for at least five consecutive months prior to filing your application. Moreover, your disability must be expected to last at least one year or be so serious as to be expected to result in death.

You also need to ensure that you have fulfilled the minimum employment requirement prior to filing your claim. SSDI uses a formula based on your age and the number of years you have been gainfully employed to determine your eligibility.

Since your benefit will rely on how much money you paid into social security, you need to have made these contributions while you were employed. Once you have met the criteria, you must gather supporting documents to file with your claim. Thereafter, make your application through your local social security office or you can apply online.

Due to backlog of applications, it will take a minimum of 90 days and as long as one year for your claim to be reviewed. Statistically, most claims are denied the first time around. In this case, you can ask for a reconsideration of your application. If you are denied again, you can file an appeal. At this point where it’s necessary to file an appeal, many people hire a disability attorney to assist them with their claim. Hiring an attorney who specializes in the field of disability law can help you in obtaining a positive outcome in your claim for SSDI benefits.

• Scholarships

The percentage of female disabled students going to college has grown by leaps and bounds over the past several years. The schools have taken notice of this and in turn, funds have become more available to assist these students.

These scholarships have been availed to help disabled female students cope with various challenges faced in college such as medical visits and special arrangements. There are various foundations geared towards helping women with disabilities looking to further their college education.

This is good news for women with disabilities. All one needs to do, is ask around and do a bit of research to find them.