While the previous Congress passed a flurry of legislation in the closing days of 2022, one issue that again failed to pass was raising the income limit to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income benefits. Currently, the asset limit for SSI is $2,000 for...
As more individuals come to identify as a gender different from the one they were designated at birth, the Social Security administration is starting to catch up to the times with a new policy. If you would like the Social Security Administration to recognize you as a...
There are numerous reasons why you might need to have a second disability hearing. Sometimes, judges get sick. Vocational experts are unavailable. Hearing recordings aren’t properly made, or technical issues lead to rescheduling. But generally, the number one reason a...
When you apply for Social Security Disability, one of the many pieces of information the Social Security Administration will ask you about your past work history. This is a form where you’ll be asked about the titles of jobs you’ve had in the last 15 years, your...
Disabled Americans can expect to see their largest increase in their monthly benefits in more than four decades next year. In October, the Social Security Administration announced that individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security...
So, you’ve waited more than a year for a hearing in front of an administrative law judge, waited a few more weeks for a decision, and have finally been approved for benefits. All that backpay should be in your account any day now, right? Well, maybe, but as with many...
When you first file for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration will use the information you provide them to order recent medical records and make a determination in your claim. If you’re denied in the first two stages of the process and your case goes...
Of the many confusing aspects of the disability process, one thing that continually mystifies many claimants is the role of vocational experts at a disability hearing. Vocational experts are called to testify at nearly every single adult disability hearing. They...
One issue that some claimants have trouble understanding is how much they can earn and still be eligible for disability benefits. Under Social Security’s rules, you have to earn less than what SSA calls “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) to receive disability...
After closing hearing offices to the public in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Social Security finally began offering limited in-person hearings this summer. I’ve since attended two of these hearings at different offices in Illinois and can report that they...
Most people think of Social Security disability as an ongoing program where claimants receive benefits until death or retirement, but that isn’t always the case. In order to qualify for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration requires an individual to...
Before you a claim for Social Security disability benefits is taken to the hearing level, claimants receive two denials from the Social Security Administration. Assuming there is sufficient evidence in the file (and in most cases there is), Disability Determination...
Most disability claimants understand that after receiving two denials from the Social Security Administration, they’re entitled to a hearing before an administrative law judge. The good news is that in most cases, only one hearing is required to receive a decision...
In recent years, the Social Security Administration has gotten better about reviewing cases that meet its criteria for dire need. These are typically cases where a claimant has been diagnosed with a terminal illness or is facing homelessness. In these situations,...
A question many clients have been asking me lately after their hearings is whether they should return to work. There are several reasons for this. One, is that the disability hearing itself really isn’t the end of the road. In most cases, it still takes 30-60 days for...
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