Managing personal finances can be complex, especially for individuals who rely on disability benefits for their livelihood. More than eight million people receive monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and some need assistance when it comes to managing their money. In these cases, the SSA can appoint a beneficiary’s friend…
If an initial application for benefits is denied, you can file for reconsideration. In the reconsideration phase, the claim will be reviewed once more by the SSA. If it doesn’t make it past the second review, it requires a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). If your claim enters the reconsideration phase, don’t panic…
When you accumulate too much debt and can no longer pay your bills, you may file for bankruptcy to help repay your creditors. This could impact your financial standing in many ways, but fortunately, Social Security benefits are not affected by default by federal law. Social Security Disability benefits are considered exempt assets, meaning creditors…
When applying for Social Security Disability (SSD), you must quickly familiarize yourself with a handful of new words, phrases, and concepts as you navigate the claims process. One of these to keep in mind is the Social Security Administration’s Compassionate Allowance Program, which speeds up the claims process for qualifying applicants. Currently, the Compassionate Allowance…
In certain situations, applicants may qualify for both SSDI (Social Security Disability) and SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) will consider it as “concurrent benefits.” Two significant similarities that these benefits both share are they have the same standards for disability, and the SSA both administers them. However, being eligible…
If your SSD benefits are denied, you should request an appeal with a skilled disability benefits lawyer, which will require a a hearing. At a hearing, you and your lawyer will be communicating with an Administrative Law Judge (or ALJ) to support your case. You must do this alongside an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer…
If your doctor has recommended that you have surgery, but you refuse, the Social Security Administration could deny you SSD or SSI benefits. However, if you have a good reason for opting out of surgery, there are exceptions to this rule. Denying Benefits Based On Failure To Follow Prescribed Treatment One popular question is whether…
You may have heard the myth that you must be 50 years or older in order to apply for SSD benefits. However, you do not need to wait to be 50 to apply for benefits. Potentially this myth became popular as in general, those who are 50-62 years old will likely have a higher chance…
As the Social Security Administration is conducting hearings by telephone, many disability claimants wonder how telephone hearings work. We’ve gathered the top tips for testifying at your phone disability hearing. What To Expect During A Phone Hearing for Disability On the day of your phone hearing, an SSA office staff will call you a few…
As the COVID-19 continues to spread around the nation, more and more operations remain to stay shutdown. On March 17th, 2020, the Social Security Administration (SSA) closed 1,200 field offices to protect their workers and the public. While the virus hit everyone hard, it is extremely difficult for those in the at-risk population group. With…
I will never forget you and the hard work you did to secure my Social Security Disability benefits. Thank you!
