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Social Security’s Totalization Agreements With Other Countries

Some Americans do not spend their entire professional careers working in America. Some actually work in other countries that have similar types of Social Security programs to cover them should they retire or become disabled. When an American worker is actually covered by Social Security and another country’s similar type of program it falls under… Read more »

Don’t Expect Congress To Fix Disability Backlog

The Washington Post published an opinion piece last month urging Congress to fix the backlog of disability claimants who are waiting for hearings based on a news story the newspaper published Nov. 21. In this story, one man’s frustration with waiting more than 600 days for a hearing was chronicled and The Washington Post also… Read more »

Know Your Primary Insurance Amount

Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) might not sound like a significant phrase most Americans need to know the meaning of, but millions of people wonder what their PIA is every year when they ask how much in monthly Social Security benefits can I receive each month? The answer to that question is PIA, which is calculated… Read more »

Who Is Allowed To Represent You In A Disability Claim?

Many people start the Social Security disability process on their own, but as they navigate the system they decide to seek assistance with a claim. An attorney can assist a claimant with a disability claim at the beginning of the process, or starting at the hearing level, but there are other people who can also… Read more »

Time Limits Apply To Reopening Final Determinations

 Considering there are many different appeal options on denial notices issued by the Social Security Administration, it is difficult to know when a decision made by Social Security denying a disability claim is final. Typically a final decision comes at the federal court level, but there is always a possibility that Social Security, if asked,… Read more »

How Social Security Investigates Cases Of Fraud

The last few years we’ve heard about numerous cases related to Social Security disability fraud. Sometimes the accused knows very well they are committing fraud, but other times it is less simple than that because some people who are accused of fraud have no idea they are committing fraud until notified by Social Security. What… Read more »

The Latest With Social Security

We realize it may be a stretch for ordinary people to want to keep up with the comings and goings of the Social Security Administration, but sometimes circumstances permit where someone does want to follow the latest news regarding the agency due to a possible retirement or disability interest. This blog is an ongoing piecemeal… Read more »

Why Did They Support ALEC In The First Place?

News recently came out that the AARP has withdrawn its support from the American Legislative Exchange Council, better known as ALEC, after its membership voiced outraged that the AARP could support a right-wing lobbying group associated with the Koch brothers, who are kingpins within the conservative movement. One has to wonder who is running AARP… Read more »

A Couple Random Things You Didn’t Know About Social Security

Social Security is an agency that most Americans know at least a little something about it functions. There are a lot of nuances to Social Security programs, like retirement and disability, but there are some little known things about Social Security that most Americans are not aware of. Below, we will examine some things you… Read more »