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Iowa Social Security Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Social Security for Iowa on
Q: Can my father increase his social security payments with divorced spouses joint earnings?

My parents are divorced and we’re married for 19 years. My mom bugged my dad to apply for the joint income social security payment or something like that since they were married for so long and his payment would be much greater than what he would get if he applied using his lower income single... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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James L. Arrasmith pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Aug 6, 2023

Under Social Security Administration rules, if your father was married to your mother for at least 10 years and is currently unmarried, he may be eligible to claim benefits based on her earnings record, provided that it would result in a higher payment than his own record. The divorced... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Social Security for Iowa on
Q: After applying for *but not having been approved or denied* SSI benefits, are you able to move states?

A friend is currently homeless and has applied for SSI benefits in Tennessee. They have not been approved or denied. They wish to move to Iowa where I live. Will they need to start a new application process, or can they just notify the Social Security Office of a change of address?

Susan Michele Schaefer
Susan Michele Schaefer
answered on Aug 30, 2022

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

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Social Security for Iowa on
Q: I want to separate from my husband, or divorce but I'm also trying for ssdi. I don't know if it will effect income.

so I'm wondering if applying for ssdi, should I bother separation or just go for divorce? I have no income myself. My husband makes the money.

Emmett B. Irwin
Emmett B. Irwin
answered on Jun 26, 2020

SSDI generally does not have income or asset limits, so it generally doesn't matter whether you're married, separated or divorced. But you have to have been working and paid payroll taxes for 5 out of the last 10 years before you became disabled to technically qualify for SSDI.

1 Answer | Asked in Social Security for Iowa on
Q: Ssi owes me money what can i do?
Scott F Bocchio
Scott F Bocchio pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Dec 31, 2019

Contact your local Social Security Administrative office and request an explanation.

Attorney Scott F. Bocchio

Legal Rights Advocates

P 855-254-7841

www.yourlegalrightsadvocates.com

1 Answer | Asked in Gov & Administrative Law, Public Benefits, Legal Malpractice and Social Security for Iowa on
Q: I filed a SSD claim. Hired a Lawyer. Lawyer did not get medical records in time. Evidence was not allowed into hearing.

2 years of medical records not admitted due to my Lawyer did not get records into evidence.

4 different chronic, progressive, and eventually fatal all because my lawyer missed the timely

submission of these records. Administrative Law Judge angerly told me and especially my Lawyer... View More

Erik Luthens
Erik Luthens
answered on Jun 21, 2018

In any legal malpractice case the primary issues are: (1) whether your attorney breached the standard of care or in other words, did something (or failed to do something) that an attorney in a similar situation would have done; and (2) whether your attorney’s error is a proximate cause of your... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Health Care Law and Social Security for Iowa on
Q: I received a large bill for copies of medical records. I asked for a detailed invoice to explain the charges. No answer

While applying for SSI/SSDI, I asked my old psychotherapist to send in a copy of my "diagnosis"/"medical records". Later, I received a bill. It seemed really, really high, so I checked the laws (I saw her in VA, I now live in MI, she now works in IA). All of them say that she... View More

Peter N. Munsing
Peter N. Munsing
answered on Oct 5, 2016

Assuming you think you may need her for Social Security hearing, doesn't make sense to get into it with her. Most therapists if they aren't in a big practice don't have someone who copies things, so they either have to hire someone or do it themselves. If it were a hospital or other... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Social Security for Iowa on
Q: If I retire early at 62 can I switch to my ex husbands social security at full retirement age of 66?

We are both single, were married for more than 10 years and he is a year older than me.

Peter N. Munsing
Peter N. Munsing
answered on Aug 10, 2016

Depends on type of ex. Check with SS office on that. However if he was a spouse, here's the deal:

you look to max by getting your spousal benefit when the spouse retires (not just when you reach age):...
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1 Answer | Asked in Social Security for Iowa on
Q: Can we get married while waiting for hearin to get disability. I'm on the dockfet list

We want to get married very much. My fiancee is from Iowa. I'm currently in Georgia for test. Lawyer says I should stay here in the va hospital it will lookgood for his disability. I'm from chicago hthe va flew down to geroga to get specialist on my back. Can we move the hearing up. We... View More

Jerry Lutkenhaus
Jerry Lutkenhaus
answered on Sep 17, 2014

If you have an attorney you should follow his advice. However, marriage does not affect the receipt of Social Security Disability but only the receipt of SSI or welfare disability.

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