SSD – Social Security Disability

The definition of “legally blind” is having a visual acuity of 20/200. This means that even with glasses or contacts, you can only read the first letter at the top of the Snellen Chart, if that. You can also be legally blind if you can see, but only in a very small...

In 2025, the amount of money you can earn and still be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance is $1,620 a month before taxes. This means, in a minimum wage position in a city like Chicago, with a minimum wage of $16.20 an hour, you could work approximately...

One of the steps in establishing disability is proving that your medical condition prohibits you from doing the kind of jobs that you have worked in the last 5 years. Social Security will send you a Work History Report (Form SSA-3369) to collect information about the...

We are paid out of the back pay that you are awarded. If you do not win your case, we do not get paid. The amount we charge can change, similar to the amount you get monthly changes annually. Currently, attorney fees are 25% of any back payments you are due up to a...

At some point in the disability process, there is a good chance that you will receive a letter in the mail informing you that you need to attend a consultative examination. Though the exact type of exam can vary from case to case, what this basically means is that the...

Alright already! As if being sick and tired and feeling not yourself all the time, now you have to fill out pages and pages of information for Social Security…once, twice….maybe even three times?? What gives? Functional reports, work history reports, release of...

Disability benefits may be provided in many different ways…through a State employer, through the Federal Government, or through a private company, just to name a few. Oftentimes, a person with a State job, (let’s take Illinois, for example), may receive disability pay...

The answer depends on what type of disability payment you are receiving. If you receive Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), then your children cannot also receive a check solely because you receive disability. However, if you receive Social Security Disability...

In Illinois, there are a number of state funded assistance programs. If you are awarded SSI you may be eligible for cash and medical assistance through Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD). To receive this assistance you must meet certain requirements such as...

In the last few weeks, Social Security implemented one of its biggest rule changes in years, that is already seeing more claimants approved at the hearing level more quickly. It’s a pretty simple change with big consequences. Up until now, part of the disability...

One thing many clients tell me led them to apply for disability is that there are simply no jobs where they live. This is especially true for claimants who live in rural areas where the only employer may be a gas station or grocery store with lifting or standing...

When you're grappling with a disability that prevents you from working, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can be a lifeline. But as you navigate this new chapter of your life, you might find yourself wondering: "Do I have to pay taxes on these benefits?"...

Most people who are applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) are in dire need of some financial relief due to their inability to earn an income. Unfortunately, the current system has a five-month waiting period before an applicant can start receiving benefits....

On 6/22/24, the Social Security Administration changed how they determine Past Relevant Work. In the past, the Administration went back 15 years prior to the date of the hearing, or the date last insured if expired, to determine past relevant work. This means at step...

Many claimants have vision issues that significantly impact their ability to perform a wide range of jobs! They are labeled “blind” by their doctor or perhaps a local public assistance organization and provided some resources or assistance. However, Social Security...