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Nothing about the Social Security disability process is easy, but the most difficult part of the process remains obtaining a medial approval from Social Security on your claim. Over the last 20-plus years approval percentages on disability claims have dropped, but even so, it’s not impossible to obtain a medical approval. Social Security has made it increasingly more difficult to medically qualify for benefits comparted to a decade ago or longer. Social Security tracks approval percentages on disability claims going back decades and the numbers don’t lie. In 1999 according to Social Security‘s own internal numbers, the approval percentage on disability claims in 1999 was  56 percent. That number dropped below 30 percent to 29.2 percent just 20 years later. There are many factors that can influence a reduction in approval percentages, but there is no doubt that Social Security’s rules changes related to disability claims have played a significant part in the overall lower approvals. If you are interested in learning more about applying for Social Security disability and would like a free consultation please  contact Greeman Toomey at 612-332-3252.  

Personal Information & Family Details The initial section of the SSDI application will request general information about you, your spouse, any past spouses, and any unmarried children under 18 (or between 18-19 if they attend high school full-time). These are the essential documents that you’ll need: A certified copy of your original birth certificate. A certificate of citizenship or permanent resident card is required if you were born outside of the United States. Your marriage license or certificate The Social Security Card The Social Security numbers, birthdates of any qualifying dependents, and their living arrangements. To enroll in direct deposit, you must provide your banking information (i.e., your bank account number and routing number). Education, Work History, & Military Service Basic information about your education and detailed recent employment history will be required. The following documents and information will also be needed: The name of the high school and its location, along with your highest level of education and when you finished school Please list any vocational training or trade schools you have attended, including the completion date and city/state location. To sign up for our services, please provide us with either copy of your W2 forms or self-employment tax returns from the last year. Current and past two years’ worth of employer information or self-employment information (sometimes, this can be found on old pay stubs). The date on which your medical condition(s) began to impede your ability to work. If you became disabled 15 years ago or less, list the types of jobs held in those intervening years. Jobs you’ve held, what were the kinds of tasks you were typically assigned? If you served in the military before 1968, your discharge papers should include your branch, sort of duty, and service period dates. Workers’ Compensation In addition to other documents, if you are applying for Social Security disability and have received workers’ compensation due to a debilitating injury or illness, you will need: Your award letter and claim number Your settlement agreement Pay stubs Other documentation that verifies you have received temporary or permanent workers’ compensation benefits. Medical Records & Documentation One of the essential papers for obtaining Social Security disability is proof of a debilitating medical condition. One of the most common reasons for SSDI claim rejections is inadequate documentation of an injury or illness. A disabilities benefits lawyer can assist you in locating this vital evidence if you do not have access to or do not know how to request your medical records or other corroborative documents. Consider contacting Greeman Toomey  if you want assistance with applying for Social Security programs. Call us at (877) 332-3252.

After more than a two-year wait Social Security customers are able to visit a Social Security field office in person, but considering Social Security offices were closed for two years due to COVID-19 it should not have been unexpected to see long lines forming outside Social Security offices when customers are starving for service, but when customers are forced to wait outside in summer sweltering conditions it creates another problem for the agency. Now the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee is getting involved and wants answers from Social Security on way the agency plans to improve the long wait lines and conditions. In a letter dated August 16, 2022, Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal and Ranking Member Kevin Brady have asked Social Security Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi to address the committee’s concerns regarding waiting conditions at Social Security offices. Below are the specific concerns the letter asked the acting commissioner to address. We strongly urge SSA to take additional action to address the safety needs of individuals who are seeking field office services. We respectfully request your response to the following by no later than August 30, 2022: 1) What steps is SSA taking to address the immediate safety needs of individuals who are waiting in dangerous environmental conditions? Specifically: a) What steps is SSA taking to reduce the wait times for individuals who are seeking in-person service? b) What steps is SSA taking to ensure that individuals are not waiting outside without shelter in extreme weather? 2) What guidance should we provide to our constituents who are having trouble accessing SSA’s services? 3) How many and what offices have had members of the public waiting outside for more than one hour at a heat index at or above 90 degrees since reopening to the general public (April 2022)? 4) Please provide SSA’s current field office COVID-19 safety policy and protocols.

Affordable internet service is a necessity these days, but many times we forget that some struggle to afford internet service and others can’t afford it at all, this includes Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Social Security provides monthly SSI benefits to low-income seniors and beneficiaries who have been found disabled by the Social Security, but the modest benefits only provide for some of life’s essentials and many times SSI recipients struggle provide for their household, but the government is promoting the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a way SSI recipients can access affordable internet service. The maximum monthly benefit SSI beneficiaries can receive is just $841 a month in 2022. Below is more information about the program. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a U.S. government program run by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices like a laptop or tablet. You are likely eligible if your household’s income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line, or if you or someone you live with currently receives a government benefit like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, Pell Grant, or Free and Reduced-Price Lunch. If your household is eligible, you could receive: • Up to a $30/month discount on your internet service • Up to a $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands • A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50) • A low cost service plan that may be fully covered through the ACP* * Through a separate non-FCC initiative, additional no cost plans may be available to Affordable Connectivity Program enrollees. To learn more please visit GetInternet.gov. Provision of a link to this initiative does not imply FCC endorsement of any particular participating provider. Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household. To receive the connected device discount, consumers need to enroll in the ACP with a participating provider that offers connected devices (Note: not all internet company offer device discounts.) The internet company will provide the discount to the consumer.

The Social Security Administration recently announced it would be providing new opportunities to beneficiaries to conduct online business if they receive Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The agency has redesigned my Social Security accounts to allow customers to conduct business more easily online. Some of the enhanced features allow customers to update their telephone numbers, their addresses and direct payment information if they receive benefits. Below is a description from Social Security about the enhanced ability to conduct business. While signed into their personal my Social Security account, your clients can continue to: • Get their Benefit Verification or proof of income letter. • Obtain replacement SSA-1099/SSA-1042S tax forms, if applicable. • View their Social Security Statement. • Request a replacement Social Security card. Your clients can access their redesigned my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. More options to conduct business with Social Security is always well received news, but considering all the possibilities Social Security has to even offer more online options to conduct business it is still behind the times when it comes to online services. The agency should be looking to offer more online options so customers can check earnings history, file for retirement benefits and even file an application for SSI, all services that are currently not available to conduct online. At least this is a step in the right direction and hopefully a sign of more online services being offered by Social Security in the near future.

Each year Social Security beneficiaries brace for the announcement of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to see how much their benefits will increase the following year. In 2023 beneficiaries might see their largest increase in benefits in over a decade based on current formulas. Social Security’s COLA will be implemented in January of 2023 and the exact amount of the increase will be decided later this year, but it is clear that inflation is the catalyst for a large increase in benefits for 2023. The COLA is for all types of Social Security benefits including retirement and disability. An article from Forbes estimated that the COLA increase for Social Security beneficiaries could be anywhere from 8.6 percent to 10.5 percent based on the COLA formula used. The Consumer Price Index is used to determine the COLA formula for Social Security and the CPI showed prices of goods rising by more than 9 percent over the last 12 months. Below is a description of the CPI from the Bureau of Labor Statistics through the Department of Labor and shows just how much the CPI has risen over the last year due to inflation. The all items index increased 9.1 percent for the 12 months ending June, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending November 1981. The all items less food and energy index rose 5.9 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index rose 41.6 percent over the last year, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending April 1980. The food index increased 10.4 percent for the 12-months ending June, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending February 1981. If the increase in benefits comes in at the high range of 10.5 percent it would mean an extra $175 per month for the average Social Security recipient, but inflation as we are taught is not necessarily a good thing. Although beneficiaries will see a significant increase in benefits you have to remember that costs of goods and services is also high and the question is will the increase in benefits keep up with the rate of inflation?

Applying for Social Security disability is likely something that few people think about until they are diagnosed with medical impairments that prevent them from working fulltime, but if that time comes it is necessary to understand how work income can impact a claim. This is not just a topic that claimants who are going through the disability process should be aware of, but also those beneficiaries who are already receive disability benefits. Earning too much money from work income may allow Social Security to reduce benefit amounts or even eliminate payments all together. SGA Income Limits You can still work while being on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), but there are rules on how much you can earn. You are defined as engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA) if you earn more than $1,350 per month before taxes while on SSDI, or more than $2,260 before taxes if you are statutorily blind. This limit is applied on a per-month basis, meaning that if a claimant or beneficiary earns gross work income more than this amount during a given month, you may not be entitled to your SSDI benefit for that month. Understanding how work impacts your disability claim can mean the difference between ongoing benefits and benefits being cutoff and the threat of an overpayment that needs to be returned to Social Security. There is an exception to this, which is the trial work period. During a trial work period you can test your ability to work for nine months in a 60-month period. A trial month can be established for any month in which a beneficiary earns more than $970. During those trial months you can earn more than SGA without impacting your benefit payouts. To learn more about how work income can impact your Social Security disability benefits or how it can impact a claim for benefits please contact Greeman Toomey PLLC at (612) 332-3252 or toll-free at (877) 332-3252, or visit our website to request a consultation.

Most people can tell you that Social Security provides retirement and disability benefits, but they also lack specific insight into how the programs operate. In a recent survey conducted by the Nationwide Retirement Institute less than 20 percent of people could identify the age in which they would be eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits and over half of the respondents could not identify what percentage of their income would be replaced by Social Security benefits when they retire. Below are some key points in the survey, which shows just how much people don’t know about Social Security and its programs. Possibly the most eye-opening response to the survey showed that just 16 percent correctly identified the age in which they would be eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits. Decades ago it was determined, by Congress, that Social Security would incrementally increase the full retirement age from 65 to eventually 67. The full retirement age for everyone born in 1960 and after is now 67. Another 45 percent of people surveyed believed that Social Security benefits would automatically increase to full retirement benefits even if a person decided to collect benefits early, beginning at age 62, but that is not the case and people should be aware of it. When a person decides to collect Social Security benefits, as early as age 62, they pay a penalty and only receive about 80 percent of what their full retirement amount would be. This penalty does not go away when the person reaches full retirement age and a person who collected early will still see a reduction in benefits even when they reach full retirement age and beyond. Identifying what percentage of work income would be replaced by Social Security benefits is something everyone should be aware of, but the survey found that 54 percent of respondents were unaware of what percentage of their income would be replaced by Social Security benefits. Social Security benefit amounts are based on lifetime earnings so it is difficult to be precise on what portion of income Social Security benefits would replace, but as the survey pointed out, middle-income individuals would replace about 40 percent of their income with Social Security benefits. Most types of income are taxable and this includes Social Security benefits, but the survey found that 55 percent of survey participants were unaware that Social Security benefits are taxable. It is true that for low-income taxpayers benefits are tax free, but for most people up to 50 percent of Social Security benefits are taxable. The survey was quite revealing to show that most people know few specifics about Social Security’s programs, which could be problematic as these people approach retirement age. Everyone should know more than what they do when it comes to Social Security benefits and their personal retirement situation.

The Partnership for Public Service recently released a new survey conducted with federal government employees and the Social Security Administration did not fair well. The survey was conducted with federal employees who work in 17 different agencies across the federal government. The Social Security Administration ranked 15th out of 17th of these agencies when it comes to the best places to work in the federal government. Social Security’s overall satisfaction rating came in at 59.9 for 2021, which was a more than four-point drop in satisfaction in 2020 when the rating was 64.5. The only two agencies with lower marks than Social Security were the Justice Department and Homeland Security. The most satisfied employees seem to be working at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which recorded the highest score. Below is a brief description of the types of questions that were asked as part of the survey. Overall Engagement and Satisfaction Score The overall rankings are determined by the Best Places to Work employee engagement and satisfaction scores, calculated by the Partnership for Public Service and Boston Consulting Group. The index score is not a combined average of an agency’s category scores. It is calculated using a proprietary weighted formula that looks at responses to three different questions in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The more the question predicts intent to remain, the higher the weighting. • I recommend my organization as a good place to work. (Q. 17) • Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job? (Q. 36) • Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your organization? (Q. 38)

Social Security recently released a wish list of initiatives if it gets an increase in funding, something President Joe Biden is backing. Biden wants to increase Social Security funding by close to 10 percent and part of the increased funding would be spent on improving payment accuracy on benefits and an enhanced debt collection system. Both initiatives were detailed in the recent Social Security report about the president’s budget plans. Improving Payment Accuracy As good stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must continue to improve our payment accuracy. Given the scope of our programs—with over $1 trillion dollars paid in combined Social Security and SSI benefits in FY 2020—even a small error rate causes substantial improper payment amounts. This Budget supports streamlining and modernizing our debt management systems; improving our death data processing; and refining the way we collect and use data to improve payment accuracy. In addition, we continue developing, rolling out, and enhancing our case processing systems to improve the accuracy of our decisions. Payment accuracy is crucial to a Social Security case. If a disabled claimant is not paid the correct amount they face having to struggle to maintain with less money, but it could even be worse if Social Security pays a claimant too much money and wants its money back. Many times payment mistakes are not caught until after months’ worth of payment inaccuracy. If Social Security is able to improve the payment process it could mean a reduction of over payments and collection of these payments.