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Social Security Terms and What They Mean

The Social Security Administration has many different terms and acronyms that are used to describe aspects of the retirement or disability process, but to a layman these terms and acronyms can be confusing and difficult to understand. Below are some terms and acronyms that are better explained. PIM:   Primary Insurance Amount is the monthly amount paid… Read more »

The Listings Of Impairments For Social Security Disability

When the topic of Social Security disability is brought up there are a lot of different words that can be used to describe it, but possibly the most common word is “confused.” The Social Security disability process is not easily understood, not only for novices, but also for veterans who work in the field every… Read more »

The Social Security Administration Launches New Campaign to Draw Awareness to the Disability Insurance Program

Recently, the Social Security Administration (SSA) started a national communications campaign to raise awareness of their Disability Insurance Benefit (DIB) program. This campaign is called the “Faces And Facts Of Disability.” As the title suggests, the campaign is focused on providing facts about the program as well as sharing personal stories from beneficiaries. The campaign… Read more »

The Medicare Waiting Period

Few people who go through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) process realize that if they do in fact win a disability case and are found disabled they are not, many times, immediately eligible for Medicare. Medicare was originally intended for Social Security retirement recipients, age 65 and older, but was later expanded to include… Read more »

Expediting The Social Security Disability Process

We have talked many times about how long the Social Security disability process can take. Most people who continue to pursue disability benefits even after they are initially denied will end up waiting the better part of two years before a concrete decision is made of whether they are disabled and are entitled to benefits…. Read more »

How Marriage Impacts Social Security Disability

During the Social Security disability process, on occasion, the question will come-up of how a new marriage may affect a Social Security disability claim if it is approved. The answer all depends on the circumstances of the marriage and the type of disability program an applicant is entitled to. For someone who has been approved,… Read more »

Case Transferred to National Hearing Center

Social Security disability claimants who receive notice that their request for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) has been transferred to the National Hearing Center (NHC) sometimes get easily confused about what this means. Request for hearings are transferred to the NHC to help speed up the hearings process when a local hearing’s… Read more »

Residual Functional Capacity (RFC)

Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) forms can be among the most supportive documents a treating physician can complete. This form shows the treating physician’s opinion of an individual highlighting the various limitations due to medical conditions. Many people often assume that if a physician is supportive that in itself means that you are disabled. However, this… Read more »

These Guys Never Change Their Tune

Earlier this week a story broke about U.S. Rep Tom Reed’s effort to prevent the government from transferring money from Social Security’s retirement trust fund to its disability trust fund in another move by the Republican Party to mess with disabled workers in this country. It has widely been viewed that this transfer would buy… Read more »

New Process to Improve Efficiency for Wounded Veteran Applying for Social Security Disability

Military service members can receive expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security. Social Security benefits are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs require and separate application process. The expedited process for Social Security applicant is for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October… Read more »