Before a case for Social Security disability benefits may be filed in federal court, claimants must give the Social Security Administration (SSA) an opportunity to review the claim and render a final agency decision. Administratively, there are typically four stages of review: initial determination, reconsideration, a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ), and review… read more
Federal law defines disability as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment(s) which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. According to… read more
If your spouse receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you may be entitled to Social Security spousal benefits under certain circumstances. You may be eligible for benefits if you meet one of these three requirements: You are at least 62 years of age (unless the total benefits you would receive from your earnings record is… read more
After you apply for Social Security disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will begin gathering information about your medical conditions and symptoms, and how these affect your ability to do different things, such as stand for any length of time, lift things of various weights, or work on tasks that require concentration. Their goal… read more
Each year, you have a chance to make changes to your Medicare Advantage or Medicare prescription drug coverage for the following year. The open enrollment period for Medicare for 2019 coverage began on October 15, 2018 and will continue through December 7, 2018. During this annual enrollment period, you can make changes to various aspects of… read more
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated globally on November 14 to raise awareness about both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. One in 10 Americans have diabetes — that’s more than 30 million people. And another 84 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing… read more
Many people who apply for Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) don’t realize how important their work history is to their chances of being awarded benefits. SSDI and SSI are awarded to those with a severe, ongoing medical condition that prevents them from performing their current job, a past job, or… read more
The New York Times reports that the number of applicants for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has fallen even faster since 2015 than the Social Security Administration (SSA) expected. Disability applications and benefit awards have been decreasing for nearly a decade. The shift is significant, and it is good news for SSDI’s finances. SSDI applications… read more
Each year the Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine whether they can increase monthly Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits for disabled Americans based on an increased cost of living. This is known as the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Earlier this month, SSA stated in their blog[1] that more than 67 million… read more
The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) will hold a National Disability Forum on October 30, 2018, at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. The topic of this forum will be “Advance Designation of Representative Payees.” The morning session of the forum will have panelists discussing how advance designation can improve future financial management. The afternoon… read more
