SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY UPDATES

Am I allowed to work part-time and still apply for Social Security disability benefits?  How much am I allowed to earn? You may qualify for Social Security disability if you are working part time.  How much are you allowed to earn?  You must be earning below "substantial gainful activity" (SGA) level. In 201 6 , substantial gainful activity in terms of earnings is $1, 13 0 per month in gross earnings.  If you earn at least that much money from either self employment or wages, salaries and tips, you are not eligible for Social Security disability benefits. If you have worked above SGA level for a period of time, then fell below SGA level, because you had to work fewer hours, Social Security will usually adjust any benefits to begin after you stopped working at SGA levels. If you are already receiving SSDI benefits, the rule is the same for SGA work.  However, I advise my clients to be careful about working while receiving SSDI benefits because during a Co...

Social Security disability benefits are paid monthly on a certain day each month.  The payment date is based on your birthday, as follows. Born on           Check arrives on 1st - 10th       check arrives the second Wednesday 11th - 20th     check arrives on the third Wednesday 21st - 31st      check arrives on the fourth Wednesday *Note that the fourth Wednesday is not always the last Wednesday.  The schedule is for the fourth Wednesday, whether or not it is the last Wednesday of the month.

"I have had my hearing but they haven't given me a decision.  What's taking so long?" That is a topic of conversation among attorneys, advocates, claimants and everyone else associated with Social Security disability. The short answer is, Social Security hearing offices (called ODAR offices) are behind on decision writing and payment processing centers are also behind on issuing payments for newly approved claims. One office in North Alabama is months behind on decision writing and is actually farming out part of this work to other offices around the country.   Once an administrative law judge (ALJ) decides your case, it has to go to another department to be written.  Decisions are now written in the order in which the request for hearing was filed.  It is typical to wait at least 3 months to find out what the judge's decision is - and you may wait an additional 60 days to receive your back pay. Is there any way to speed up this process?  Sadly, there ...

Disabled US veterans may now get speedy benefits from Social Security. Beginning in May 2014 Social Security announced that it will expedite the process of making a disability determination for disabled veterans.  Veterans with a 100 percent permanent VA disability rating will be given a "fast track" decision process.  In some cases, we have seen decisions issued in as little as 21 days after the application is filed.  This compares to 90 to120 days for the average application to get a decision. If the decision is favorable, Social Security will also expedite the payment process for veterans.  My firm files the application electronically to further speed up the decision making process.  (We do this for all applicants, not just veterans). Social Security has different rules than the Veterans Administration.  They do not automatically recognize disability because the VA has done so.  Therefore, a competent advocate is often helpful for approval. ...