Scammers are trying to get personal information by pretending they are there to help one with their application or claim.  A recent alert by the Social Security Inspector General warns of this “phishing” scam and whether or not you have started an application they may try to contact you to get information.  They’re taking a shot in the dark hoping you have started or completed an application for benefits and hoping you will give them a little more information over the phone to “complete the process”.  They may ask for your social security number or bank account number.  Some sites are even set up to look like the official Social Security website but are not.  The best advice – never give your social security number or bank account number over the phone.  Never wire or send money to someone to “complete the process”.

Many people with disabilities are required to take medications to help manage their condition.  Often these medications have side effects that are as troublesome as the symptoms of their disease but are necessary to lessen or contain the disease – like chemotherapy.  Many have side effects like fatigue or confusion.  The side effects of prescribed medications must be taken into account by the Social Security Administration in determining whether the claimant is “disabled”.  It is important to let your doctor know of any side effects as this will allow the doctor to make any necessary changes in your prescription and it will also be important information that will appear in your medical records for the Social Security Administration to consider when deciding your claim.

Social Security Disability benefits automatically change to Social Security Retirement benefits when the person reaches his or her normal or full retirement age.  The change will not change the amount of benefit but rather the fund that the benefit is drawn from.  The law does not permit one to receive both Social Security Disability benefits and Retirement benefits once the person reaches the “full” retirement age.  It is important to note, however, that full retirement age is not always age 65, in fact, age 65 is the normal or full retirement age for those born in 1937 or before, so your full or normal retirement age may well be at a later age.

Regardless if you have applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits (SSI), the Social Security Administration uses a 5-Step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual is disabled.  If the proof fails at any Step, except Step-3, a finding not disabled will be issued. Step-5: Other Work A finding of disabled is warranted at Step-5 if the evidence establishes that an individual cannot perform other work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy.

Regardless if you have applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits (SSI), the Social Security Administration uses a 5-Step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual is disabled.  If the proof fails at any Step, except Step-3, a finding not disabled will be issued. Step 4:  Past Relevant Work An individual has the burden to establish that the individual cannot perform the work the individual has performed (as defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles) in the last 15 years.

Regardless if you have applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits (SSI), the Social Security Administration uses a 5-Step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual is disabled.  If the proof fails at any Step, except Step-3, a finding not disabled will be issued. Step-3: Listing of Impairments A finding of disabled is warranted at Step-3 if an individual’s medical’s condition meets or equals one of the set of medical conditions found in the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments (20 C.F.R. Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1).

Regardless if an individual has applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits (SSI), the Social Security Administration uses a 5-Step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual is disabled.  If the proof fails at any Step, except Step-3, a finding not disabled will be issued. Step 2:  Severity An individual has the burden to establish that the individual suffers from a medically determinable impairment (MDI) that reduces an individual’s ability to do “basic work activities”.  A MDI can be physical, mental or a combination of a mental and physical condition.

Regardless if you have applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits (SSI), the Social Security Administration uses a 5-Step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual is disabled.  If the proof fails at any Step, except Step-3, a finding of not disabled will be issued. Step 1:  Substantial Gainful Activity If an individual is working, which is deemed to be both Substantial and Gainful Activity (SGA), a finding of not disabled will be issued.  To determine whether work is Substantial, the Social Security Administration will assess the duties an individual performs and/or the level of supervision.   The Social Security Administration will assess an individual’s earnings to determine whether the work is gainful.  To determine whether income is gainful visit ssa.gov/cola.

Proving Arthritis-Based Disability The Arthritis Foundation estimates that up to 2.1 million Americans are affected by rheumatoid arthritis.  The incident is higher after age 50 and can affect the whole body.  The severity of rheumatoid arthritis can be proven by statements from your doctors and how they affect your functional limitations.  Often, if severe enough, it precludes most competitive employment which would permit one to be eligible for social security disability

No. If you believe your disability will last a year or longer, apply for disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. The rules for eligible for disability benefits require that you have been disabled for one year or more or that your condition will likely last one year or more. Consequently, you do not have the full year before you apply.

For most types of debt, including credit cards, medical bills and personal loans, social security cannot be garnished to pay the debt.  There are certain debts, however, that social security can be garnished to pay for.  Those debts include federal taxes, federal student loans, child support and alimony and other federal debts.

It was recently reported that individuals have not been able to attend their social security disability hearing because SSA hearing office personnel have denied individuals access to the hearing office as a result of insufficient identification.  Although SSA hearing office personnel should not deny an individual access to the hearing office because of insufficient identification, an individual attending a hearing either as a claimant or witness should bring proper identification to the hearing office such as a current driver’s license, State ID, or certified birth certificate.   If you are denied access to the hearing office because of insufficient ID, you should politely ask to speak with the hearing office manager.