It is best to wait for the Administrative Law Judge decision to make sure you are approved for SSI disability. The online information is fine as a general guide, but it is not the official decision. The decision will specify if you meet the medical requirements for disability and, if so, set out... View More

It is a good idea to set up a bank account for yourself and direct that your Social Security benefit payments be directly deposited into your account. It is more secure than having a paper check mailed to your address. You can do this by creating a My Social Security account and then set up direct... View More

Yes, you have a right to be represented and you can hire a lawyer to represent you at any point of the disability process. Here is general information from Social Security at https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10075.pdf.

Locate a lawyer using Justia's "Find a Lawyer". Ask a... View More

All the funds your grandma receives from SSI is all hers for basic subsistence and she must not have more than $2,000 in countable resources including savings to continue to be eligible. Technically, having power of attorney, or a joint bank account with the person who is receiving benefits is not... View More

I encourage your husband to consult with an experienced Social Security disability attorney to discuss his particular situation because disability evaluation is more complicated than just considering a person's medical conditions. Many disability attorneys offer a free initial consultation.... View More

If you have all of your medical records and other evidence submitted to Social Security, you could proceed on your own for now and see whether the reconsideration decision is favorable or not. This may be your best approach in your situation. You will have time to submit additional evidence if the... View More

If you decide to pursue a more agressive medical treatment recommended by your health care professionals, it may improve your condition to where you would be able to work in a best case scenario. You would then have the opportunity test your ability to engage in full-time substantial gainful... View More

No, disability lawyers do not have access to your medical records and neither does Social Security. You must sign a release for the medical provider to send the medical records to a third party, such as your lawyer or Social Security. For example, Social Security will ask you to sign form SSA-827... View More

Knowing the rules Social Security uses regarding work credits and insured status should help you. The number of work credits you need for SSDI disability benefits depends on how old you are when your disability began, so your alleged onset of disability can make a difference. For example, if you... View More

It is great that you are looking for alternatives for savings that will not affect your SSI payments. A primary consideration is whether the alternative would be a countable resource or not. A CD is usually countable except when the terms of a timed deposit will prohibit early withdrawal... View More

Double check your earnings record through your My Social Security account at SSA.gov. If your wages are not accurately reported on your earnings record, the best way to handle the situation is get proof of your wages, such as W-2s. After you’ve gathered your documents showing proof of wages,... View More

If you were approved for SSDI disability benefits and they were suspended because you were in prison, you can request that Social Security reinstate your benefits. You also need to provide Social Security a copy of your prison release documents. Eligibility for SSI terminates after you have been... View More

It is perfectly reasonable for you to ask your representative payee how your money is being spent and how much you have in your bank account. Your representative payee is responsible for using your SSI benefits to pay for your needs including payment for food, shelter, clothes, medical care and... View More

Read 20 CFR 404.1520. which will give you a general overview of how Social Security evaluates disability. Social Security uses a five-step sequential evaluation process to decide whether or not a person is disabled. The "Blue Book" describes the listing level impairments at step 3. There... View More

No, your SSDI disability benefits will not be reduced if you get married. However, other Social Security benefits such as SSI, Survivors, Widow/Widower, Divorced Spouses, and Child’s benefits may be affected.

Your friend can just update her address with Social Security when she moves at either the local Social Security field office or by calling the national Social Security number at 1-800-772-1213. Since Social Security is a Federal program, it will carry over when she moves to a new state. There is no... View More

Most eligible people have already received all three of their Economic Impact Payments. However, you may still be able to file your 2020, 2021 taxes and claim a Recovery Rebate Credit. For more information, see https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments.

According to the... View More

The best place to find out about the evidence requirements to obtain a Social Security number and card is at 20 CFR 422.107. See https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/422/422-0107.htm. To obtain an original Social Security number card, you must submit convincing evidence of:

1. your age,... View More

To be eligible for SSDI disability benefits, you must meet BOTH a recent work test and a duration work test. The number of credits necessary to meet the recent work test depends on your age. In general, the rules are as follows:

Before age 24 - You may qualify if you have 6 credits earned... View More

There is no restriction about a beneficiary being married to the person who is their representative payee. In fact, Social Security prefers to appoint a responsible relative, friend, or other interested party to serve as a representative payee, then they consider others, such as an organization to... View More