Social Security offices cutting hours
Social Security offices are cutting the number of hours they are open to the public by 30 minutes each day. This is part of a nationwide program reduction caused by budget cuts (including cuts to 1,600 jobs at Social Security nationwide).
As of August 15, 2011, the Colorado Springs Social Security office will be open to the public from 9am to 3:30pm.
Social Security is encourage use of the Social Security website for most tasks. However, if you need to speak to a Social Security employee in person, get there early folks!
Source: Colorado Springs Gazette
Social Security denied me disability benefits using a doctor of WHAT?
Social Security has physicians review disability cases as medical consultant’s to make opinions on individual’s abilities and limitations. However, what good is the medical consultant’s opinion if they don’t have expertise in with the disability in question.
Per Nate Craig:
… you may also want to look at the Medical Consultant’s Code attached to the State Agency’s opinion. I am finding more and more reviewing physician’s making opinions outside their professional field. Recently an ALJ relied on the State Agency’s opinion where the initial decision was made by a SDM and then affirmed by a “dermatologist” MCC of 6. The AC kicked it back with the directive for another physical CE. At the remand hearing, the same ALJ entered a decision of disability back to original onset date.
Can creditors garnish Social Security benefits?
Can Social Security benefits be garnished by a creditor?
Social Security says “NO”.
If a creditor other than the federal government tries to garnish your Social Security benefits, inform them that such an action violates Section 207 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 407).
Section 207 bars garnishment of your benefits. It can also be used as a defense if your benefits are incorrectly garnished. Our responsibility for protecting benefits against garnishment, assignments and other legal processes usually ends when the beneficiary is paid. However, once paid, benefits continue to be protected under section 207 of Act as long as they are identifiable as Social Security benefits.
However, as noted above, while Social Security benefits cannot be garnished by a creditor, there are times when they can be garnished by the federal government.
When can that happen? Social Security provides the following instances when Social Security benefits can be garnished:
10 Steps to Prepare for your Social Security Hearing
My friend, Maine disability lawyer, Gordon Gates, has put together a free e-book, 10 Steps To Prepare For Your Social Security Disability Hearing.
In it, you’ll learn:
How Social Security reviews cases.
What you can do while waiting for your hearing.
How to expedite cases.
The information you will need to have at your hearing.
Check it out! Download a copy here.
Does Social Security family maximum reduce disability benefits?
We’ve previously talked about the Social Security Family Maximum, which limits the total amount of auxiliary benefits that paid out on any case. We have also discussed how a new child can reduce the auxiliary benefits for other children.
I was recently asked by a divorced dad if the auxiliary benefits paid out to others based on his disability (especially if the family maximum is reached) reduce his benefits?
No. Here is how Social Security explains it:
I’ve heard that there is a …
