Since March of 2020 when Social Security offices closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic Social Security has been conducting disability hearings by phone instead of in person. This required the claimant, the judge, the representative and any experts all to be on the connection, but recently Social Security has been attempting to… Read more »
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Social Security Trends In 2020
Every year Social Security releases statistics about a previous year and Social Security recently released statistics in 2020. One of the most alarming statistic came from Social Security’s staffing numbers. It showed that Social Security staffing numbers were the lowest they have been in the last 25 years. Considering Americans are now limited in how… Read more »
Social Security Wants You To Know Not To Count On Benefits For Full Retirement Savings
Social Security has put out new fact sheets to inform people about Social Security statements and ways to access these statements online, but one of the fact sheets makes it clear that you should not be counting solely on Social Security benefits to fund your retirement. As you can see from the portion of the… Read more »
Increase In Minimum Wage Would Increase Social Security Benefits
The U.S. House of Representatives passed Raise the Wage Act in 2019, a bill that would’ve increased the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2025, but predictably the bill went nowhere as the Senate refused to offer a companion bill. Now there is talk again about increasing the minimum wage to… Read more »
COVID-19 Update: Options For Filing Appeal
Social Security has insisted it would be more understanding and less strict with deadlines to complete paperwork during the COVID-19 pandemic because Social Security offices mostly remain closed to the public, but it does not mean that Social Security claimants should procrastinate in completing appeals on denied disability claims. Some people rely on going to… Read more »
People Who Don’t Know Speak
Every now and then we like to checkout Social Security’s blog that deals with different topics and programs Social Security offers. One feature these blogs offer is a place to comment about the content of the blog. Typically, if you read most stories on the internet that offer a place to comment you will get… Read more »
Social Security Mistakes
For several months now Social Security has alerted the public to potential scams that are out there where personal information, like Social Security numbers have been targeted, but a recent story reported in Charlotte North Carolina shows that personal information can also fall into the wrong hands through mistakes made by Social Security. Below is… Read more »
Social Security Urges Third Parties To Assist Vulnerable People With Disability Claims
Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul recently released a message to all Social Security employees about the need to assist people who wish to apply for Social Security disability benefits, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Saul admitted the number of applications for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are significantly down… Read more »
Online Video Hearings Ramping Up
In September 2020 Social Security announced it would begin to offer Social Security disability claimants the opportunity to appear at disability hearings through a new online video format, but since then most hearing offices were not offering that option until recently. Below is a portion of the press release announcing the new option. The Social… Read more »
Medicare Options Remain Available Even Though Offices Are Closed
If you are turning 65 soon or you have just qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and will be eligible for Medicare after the waiting period you still have options to apply or change your enrollment even those Social Security offices remain mostly closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People can apply online… Read more »
