Contrary to popular belief, Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income benefits are not considered permanent disability benefits. In fact, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) is supposed to review most cases every three to five years to determine whether an individual remains disabled. However, it is not uncommon for an Administrative Law Judge to… read more
Super Bowl LII takes place this Sunday, February 4, 2018, right here in our hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota at the majestic U.S. Bank Stadium. The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the New England Patriots, with Justin Timberlake performing at half-time. We all hope for an exciting game. Unsurprisingly, football leads a number of studies as… read more
American Heart Month begins in February. Heart conditions are among the leading causes of disability in the United States. Certain impairments are considered severe enough to warrant a finding of disability based solely on your condition. These are Social Security’s “Adult Listings” for disability. The most common Listings for heart conditions are: Aneurysm of the… read more
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly income to individuals who are low income and do not have the requisite working credits for Title II Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) can start payments more quickly than usual in four different types of situations: 1.Presumptive Disability (PD) or Presumptive Blindness… read more
End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or kidney failure, is an irreversible condition most often caused by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), though it can occur suddenly or from other disorders. The National Institutes of Health estimates that over 26 million people have CKD, and many don’t realize until the damage to the kidneys is severe. According… read more
Nearly every job requires a full and complete use of the hands. Anyone who has “manipulative limitations” caused by injury or pain needs to be aware that this can be an important component of a disability claim. While more obvious in situations involving a condition such as carpal tunnel syndrome or a specific hand injury,… read more
To determine whether you are disabled, and thus qualify for benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send your claim to a state agency of disability examiners. In many states, the agency is called “Disability Determination Services,” or DDS, but the agency goes by various names. For instance, Florida calls its agency the Division of… read more
Last week, we wrote about the Social Security Administration’s 2018 cost-of-living adjustments, which begs the question – how much will I be paid? Once you are found disabled, your monthly benefit amount is calculated in accordance with your claim type: For disability insurance benefits (SSDI), the amount depends on how much you have worked and… read more
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 66 million Americans will increase by 2.0 percent in 2018. The 2.0 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 61 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2018. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on… read more
At the initial and reconsideration stages of the Social Security Disability application process, a decision on your claim will generally be made within 3-6 months. The process can, however, take longer. The Social Security Administration (SSA) may place your case on medical deferment or “Medical Hold” when they have information showing that your disability is… read more
