Many disabled workers are injured on the job and apply for worker’s compensation benefits. During this same time, or shortly after, if it is determined a disabled worker will be unable to work for at least 12 consecutive months, the disabled worker may decided to apply for Social Security disability benefits – Social Security Disability… Read more »
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I received a Notice of Remand, what does that mean?
If you filed an appeal with the Social Security Administration (SSA) Appeals Council you may receive in the mail a Notice of Remand. This means that the Appeals Council has transferred your claim back to the SSA Hearing office for another hearing. The Appeals Council typically chooses to remand a claim if the Council finds… Read more »
Budget Hype?
Ms. Kathy Ruffing of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities recently published a report finding that Social Security’s current costs and caseloads “are generally in step with past projections.” This report indicates that demographic changes in the U.S. workforce explain most of the growth in disability insurance (“DI”) beneficiaries in the past decade. Most interestingly, it… Read more »
Understanding Social Security Disability Terminology
The Social Security disability process can be confusing. Not only can the entire process be difficult to understand, but so can the different terms Social Security uses along the way. To make things a bit clearer below are some definitions for terms Social Security uses during the disability process. Alleged and Established Onset Date: The… Read more »
Understanding the Sequential Evaluation Process
The Sequential Evaluation Process When evaluating a claim for Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income, the Social Security Administration (SSA) applies a step-by-step process involving five questions, or steps. (20 CFR §§ 404.1520a; 416.920). This is commonly referred to as the “sequential evaluation process: At step one of the sequential evaluation process the SSA inquires whether… Read more »
Demystifying: Credibility
Many disability claimants who receive a written decision from an Administrative Law Judge are surprised to find a paragraph in the decision discussing whether the claimant is “credible.” This part of the decision often seems like a personal attack. This article explains what this “credibility analysis” is, and what judges have to consider in each… Read more »
Why is money being deducted from my monthly SSI benefits?
If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and have any additional income the Social Security Administration (SSA) may deduct the value or partial value of that income from each of your monthly checks. SSA makes these deductions because SSI payments are based upon the recipient’s financial need. As of January 2012, the maximum… Read more »
Name Changes and Social Security Disability
Because the Social Security disability process can drag on, much of the time well over a year, those who have applied for either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) go through many different life changes. One of these life changes are name changes. No matter why your name may change it… Read more »
SSI For A Child
The rules for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are clearly related to an applicant’s ability to work. An adult applicant must prove they are unable to work at a substantial gainful level, but what about SSI for children? Obviously the ability to work cannot be considered in determining the disability… Read more »
Video Teleconference Hearings (VTC)
A few days ago we talked about the effects of having your claim transferred to the National Hearing Center (link). In that post, we mentioned video teleconference (VTC) hearings, but it’s worth discussing them in a bit more depth because they can occur in places other than the National Hearing Center. A typical Social Security disability hearing… Read more »
