Attempting to prove a mental health disability to the Social Security Administration when an applicant has a substance abuse problem can be an uphill climb, especially if the applicant continues to abuse either drugs or alcohol while a claim is pending. This is accentuated when you consider the follow statement found in Social Security’s rules… Read more »
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What to Do if Your Social Security Disability Benefits Stop
Sometimes when someone is receiving Social Security disability benefits, those benefits will stop for a variety of reasons. A major reason someone stops receiving either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments is that they went back to work and are no longer considered disabled by the Social Security Administration. If… Read more »
Social Security Disability Recipients and a Continuing Disability Review
Our law office represents a lot of clients who used to receive Social Security disability payments, but for some reason are no longer found disabled by Social Security. This can and does happen and those who are currently receiving Social Security disability should know that Social Security may check-up with you in a few years… Read more »
Social Security Disability and Retirement Benefits
On occasion we will get a call from a person who is already receiving Social Security retirement benefits who wishes to file for Social Security disability benefits. These inquires have come from people who are well past the current retirement age of 66. Unfortunately what some people do not know is that you cannot collect… Read more »
What is Deemed Income by Social Security Administration for Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI)?
According to the Social Security website: Earned Income: are wages, net earnings from self–employment, certain royalties and honoraria, and sheltered workshop payments. Unearned Income: is all income that is not earned, such as Social Security benefits, pensions, state disability payments, unemployment benefits, interest income, and cash from friends and relatives. In–Kind Income: is food or shelter that you get for free… Read more »
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Living Arrangements
Most years the Supplemental Security Income maximum benefit increases. Supplemental Security Income benefits automatically increased in 2013 because there was an increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the third quarter of 2010 to the third quarter of 2012. As of January 1, 2013, the federal benefit rate is $710 for an individual and… Read more »
Social Security Benefits for People who are Blind or Have Low Vision
Most years the Supplemental Security Income maximum benefit increases. Supplemental Security Income benefits automatically increased in 2013 because there was an increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the third quarter of 2010 to the third quarter of 2012. As of January 1, 2013, the federal benefit rate is $710 for an individual and… Read more »
Social Security Benefits for People who are Blind or Have Low Vision
The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits to those who are blind and are unable to work. If you are blind and have worked in the past under the SSA’s rules you may qualify for Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB). If you are blind and do not qualify for DIB benefits, you may still be… Read more »
SGA to Increase in 2014
Anyone who has been involved in a Social Security disability case has probably come across the term Substantial Gainful Activity. This blog is an attempt to explain what SGA is and how it impacts a Social Security disability case. As it relates to Social Security disability, SGA is the amount of money someone earns from… Read more »
COLA Versus ‘Chained’ CPI
President Barack Obama and congress have both offered plans that would change the calculation of annual Social Security payment increases. When Social Security began in 1935 there were no provisions for annual increases in payments for theQ first 15 years of the program. Since 1950 the Social Security Administration uses Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA)… Read more »
