Can Social Security immediately pay disability benefits to children?
Yes. Under some circumstances, Social Security can immediately start Social Security disability benefits, and continue to pay benefits for up to six months, while the state agency component of Social Security makes a formal decision of whether the child is disabled. These are called “Presumptive Disability” cases.
Basically, Social Security is saying that the child is probably disabled, and as such will pay benefits, while it reviews the case to confirm the presumed disability.
Here are the conditions that may qualify:
Do powerchairs cost as much as cars?
Mark E. Smith’s great blog Wheelchairjunkie.com, has a great article about powerchairs — a topic which combines two issues I am passionate about: disabilities and technology.
I have seen some amazing powerchairs, from a super speedy model with an Herman Miller Aeron chair, running circles around people at Sam’s club, to a Dean Kamen Segway filled with a small bench (!) at Whole Foods letting the rider sit much higher that in a traditional chair, aiding in shopping and interacting with people at a common height. It is exciting seeing the developments in this area. These advances create an expectation of more than just simple …
Are Social Security disability benefits taxable?
People often ask, “Do I have to pay taxes on Social Security benefits?”
SSI benefits are not federally taxable.
Things get a bit more complicated with SSDI benefits. Here is the answer directly from Social Security:
Question: I receive Social Security disability benefits. Do I have to pay income tax on these benefits?
Answer: You will have to pay federal taxes on your benefits if you file a federal tax return as an individual and your total income is more than $25,000. If you file a joint return, you will have to pay taxes if you and your spouse have a total income of more than $32,000.
Social Security has no authority to withhold …
Getting your prior Social Security files
If you are looking at your Social Security exhibit file and you notice that all the exhibits are numbered with a letter in front, such as “B1A, B2A, B1B, B2B,” etc, this means that you are looking at the “B” file — a file for the second application for Social Security disability benefits.
In other words, the first time you file for benefits, Social Security creates an “A” file. Since this may be the only file you ever have, it is not referred to as the “A” file. However, if you file a second application, the second file becomes the “B” file. The …
Special Social Security disability rules for “the worn out worker”
Did you know that Social Security has a special disability benefit rule just for individuals who did not complete high school and who have done hard physical work for most of their lives?
Maine and New Hampshire Social Security Attorney Gordon Gates lets you in on this little know exception:
There is an offbeat little provision in the Social Security regulations that grants benefits for a worker who fits a particular vocational profile. This is the “worn out worker” rule.
The rule has 3 requirements for claimants:
1) a marginal education,
2) 35 years or more of only arduous unskilled physical labor,
3) the …
Obama calls for $250 payments to seniors – Yahoo! News
Remember the earlier post about the 2 year freeze (2010 & 2011) on cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security beneficiaries and how it would result in a net decrease in benefits because while benefits may stay the same, Medicare premiums are likely to go up?
Well, it looks like there may be an extra stimulus payment to seniors to help offset the increase.
President Barack Obama called on Congress Wednesday to approve $250 payments to more than 50 million seniors to make up for no increase in Social Security next year.
Check out this article for more information: Obama calls for $250 payments …
Social Security told me not to bother appealing my disability case
It always shocks me when I hear that Social Security has discouraged someone from filing an appeal. However, several times a year someone tells me something like this:
When I asked for the forms to appeal I was told, ‘if you appeal, you are just going to be denied.’
This is improper for a number of reasons:
It is not Social Security’s job to encourage or discourage people from pursuing cases. You have a right to appeal!
If you are requesting a hearing, the person telling you not to appeal will not be the person making the decision. So he or she has not idea what the outcome will be.
Telling you not …
Report wages to Social Security by telephone
Terry Petterson of DisablogND recently posted about changes in the Social Security rules which now let you report earnings to SSA by telephone:
Beneficiaries, deemors and representative payees reporting a change in wages can report their monthly wages to SSA by telephone. These instructions explain what beneficiaries, deemors, and representative payees need to do in order to use the SSA phone system to report monthly wages.
Beneficiaries, deemors and representative payees who would rather not report wages by telephone can use traditional reporting methods such as mailing or bringing paystubs into their local Social Security office. Monthly telephone reporters who experience technical difficulties …
Social Security disability benefits and borderline age cases
My previous article discussed how Social Security makes it easier for people over 50 years old to receive disability benefits, even if they can still perform some kind of work.
I am 49 years old! I am about to turn 50. Isn’t that close enough?
It might be. If you are within a few months of an age when the Social Security rules change (50, 55, 60), you might have a “borderline age” case.
Using the example above, if you are 49 years old and within a few months of your 50th birthday, Social …
Guest post on Bob Kraft’s P.I.S.S.D. website
As part of my series on how to prove you are disabled and eligible for Social Security disability benefits, my latest article, “Winning Social Security Disability Benefits After Age 50” is now on Dallas Texas Social Security disability attorney Bob Kraft’s P.I.S.S.D. (Personal Injury Social Security Disability) website.
Click the link and check it out!
More information about Impairment Related Work Expenses IRWEs!
As discussed previously, impairment related work expenses (IRWEs for short — pronounced “Eer-whee’s”) are a way of reducing an individual’s earnings below the substantial gainful activity threshold, and thereby preserve eligibility for disability benefits.
Social Security has a great chart showing examples of which IRWEs are deductible (can be used to reduce income) and which are non-deductible (cannot be used to reduce income):
