Thursday, April 25, 2024

How To Support Yourself While Waiting For Disability

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Liquidation Of Housing Assets

Activities You Should Avoid While Waiting for your Disability Hearing

SSDI applicants who own a home also can partially or fully liquidate housing assets to support the consumption. Unfortunately, only information on home ownership is available from the SIPP therefore, we will not be able to measure partial liquidation, such as borrowing from home equity line of credit. About 61 percent of the sample own a house 12 months prior to application, and only 59 percent at the time of application are home owners.

Should I Submit An Intent To File Form

If you plan to file for disability compensation using a paper form, you may want to submit an intent to file form first. This can give you the time you need to gather your evidence while avoiding a later potential start date . When you notify us of your intent to file, you may be able to get retroactive payments .

Note: You dont need to notify us of your intent to file if you file for disability compensation online. This is because your effective date gets set automatically when you start filling out your disability compensation form onlinebefore you submit it.

Are You Able To Work Your Former Position

If your condition does not meet any of the listings in the Blue Book, youll need to show that your condition is severe enough to prevent you from working. Remember, disability benefits are based on the fact that you cannot work.

If your condition is severe enough to keep you from performing your previous job, you can move onto the next step. If not, then the SSA does not consider you disabled.

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So Sorry To Hear About Your

So sorry to hear about your situation Cathy. You& #039 ve been given some good advice, but some of it isn& #039 t 100% accurate. I was in an accident back in 2013 that left me with lower back issues, so I& #039 m VERY familiar with the whole process. Firstly, at this point the deadline for filing a personal injury suit has definitely passed, so unfortunately in that regard to my knowledge there& #039 s nothing you can do, but I recommend calling some personal injury attorneys just to be sure. Secondly, as far as insurance is concerned, your insurance would give you a difficult time in covering anything since you were in a freind& #039 s car at the time. Your friend& #039 s insurance is who you should get in contact with, as insurance coverages have amounts for passenger coverage. Had you been in your vehicle, that would be entirely different, it would have been a no-fault claim provided that evidence indicated that the person who hit would was entirely at fault. However, no-fault works on a state by state basis so if that were the case, your insurance company may not even provide no fault coverage.

Department Of Vocational Rehabilitation

Waiting Period

You might also want to contact the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in your state. If you qualify for VR assistance, this department can sometimes assist you in a variety of different ways, even to the extent of getting you examined by a physician to determine the extent of your limitations. The report of such an exam could be very useful in your disability case, and “voc rehab” counselors are generally willing to provide such information when asked by either the disability examiner at DDS or by a disability attorney or non-attorney representative, if you hire one.

You can find the contact information for your state’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in our state disability resource lists.

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Hi My Name Is Titshaun I’

Hi my name is Titshaun I& #039 m legally blind in my right eye and I have limited sight in my left eye I suffer with diabetes high blood pressure anxiety and depression I have migraine headaches and mild degenerate muscle decay in my right hip and leg I applied for disability in June I went to see the disability doctor I also let disability know when I spoke to them that I still work and I can& #039 t quit until a decision is made I can& #039 t afford to be homeless I have no where to go I& #039 ve been on my own since 14 it& #039 s hard because I am being told that my case is still pending what can I do

Can I Get Financial Help While I Wait For My Disability Ruling

Waiting for your Social Security Disability benefits to be approved can be tough on your bank account. Few Americans have the resources needed to survive for the average time it takes to receive approval for a Social Security Disability claim. Receiving help in the application process for disability benefits may help your disability benefits claim be approved faster.

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Contact An Experienced North Carolina Ssd Benefits Lawyer

The SSA maintains a list of impairments that are considered so severe that they automatically qualify one for disability benefits as long as all other requirements are met. These conditions are found in the SSAs Blue Book, which describes the medical evidence that is needed to prove the impairment.

You can also be declared disabled if you have a condition that is considered to be equal in severity to a listed impairment.

Even if you dont have a listed impairment or one considered equal in severity to a listed one, you may still be deemed to be disabled if you can show that your medical condition keeps you from working or doing any other type of work.

Allow Hardison & Cochran to put its skill and experience to work for you in seeking disability benefits. In particular, we can help you to gather the medical evidence you need to show you are disabled.

Contact us today and receive a free and immediate review of your case.

For More Information:

You Can Still File A Claim And Apply For Benefits During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Which Activities Should You Avoid While Waiting for Your Hearing to be Scheduled?

Get the latest information about in-person services, claim exams, extensions, paperwork, decision reviews and appeals, and how best to contact us during this time.

  • Find out if youre eligible for VA disability compensation
  • Gather any evidence youll submit yourself when you file your VA disability claim.
  • Be sure your claim is filled out completely and you have all the supporting documents ready to send in along with your claim. This will help us process your claim quickly.

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Places To Go For Financial Resources

Many individuals who file for Social Security Disability benefits find that they need the help of family, friends, or charitable organizations while they are waiting for their claim to be approved.

Should your claim be approved, you will, of course, receive back pay and should have little trouble paying back those who have helped you.

If you are in need of financial assistance, one of the first places you should go is your county Department of Social Services. While the kinds and amounts of assistance available vary from one locale to the next, the Department of Social Services is often the best place to look.

They have information on government programs for which you may qualify and the often have information regarding private or not for profit programs you can seek help from while you are waiting for your Social Security Disability benefits.

Talk To A Disability Lawyer

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    State Temporary Disability Program

    Some states also have a temporary disability program. New York, New Jersey, California, Rhode Island and Hawaii all have this program, as does the territory of Puerto Rico. These programs only provide assistance if your injury or condition is not work-related.

    They can pay up to 60% of your income.

    Generally, you need to have worked for a while before becoming eligible depending on the state, that ranges from 30 days to 6 months.

    All of these programs have a one-week waiting period as well.

    This can be used by pregnant women as well if needed.

    The other important requirement is medical proof: you need to submit medical records or undergo an exam.

    Each states rules are a little different, so follow the links for your states program if you think you may be eligible.

    Even if you dont live in one of these states, it may be worthwhile to look for additional supports for temporarily disabled workers. The state of Maryland, for example, has Temporary Disability Assistance Program, which offers cash, housing, and medical assistance.

    Al used this program after he broke his acetabulum. He had just started work at a new job, but since he had been there for six weeks, he was eligible for the short-term disability coverage that New Jersey provides.

    How Do You Survive While Waiting For Disability Approval

    How To Apply For Unemployment  topassistanceprograms.com

    Maintaining Health Insurance You can request a quote for the healthcare plans made possible by the Affordable Healthcare Act. You may eligible for a plan that covers pre-existing conditions and has no waiting period for approval. You may qualify for income-based subsidies on your premiums because you cannot work.

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    Contact A Knowledgeable Lawyer For Help With Your Claim

    If you are unsure about how you can financially support yourself while you wait for your SSDI or SSI claim to be approved, it is important to seek the advice of a knowledgeable Phoenix Social Security Disability attorney. He or she can review your particular circumstances and help you determine your options. There may also be ways to speed up your claim so that your wait for benefits is shortened.

    Contact the legal advocates at the Dayes Law Firm for a free consultation and advice on your claim.

    How Do I Support Myself While Awaiting Benefits

    The Social Security Administration offers two types of benefits for those who are limited by their disabilities, Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplementary Security Income . However, the SSA is always bogged down by cases, and getting approved can take anywhere from five months to two years.

    Even if your SSDI approval takes less than five months, the checks dont start coming until five months after your reported disability onset date. In the meantime, there a ways you can stay afloat while not hurting your chances of approval.

    While youre waiting for your SSD approval, its OK to work part time, but it cant meet the Substantial Gainful Activity standards. In 2016, the SGA limit is $1,130 per month. This means, unless there are special circumstances, you cant make more than $1,130 a month when you apply, or you will be denied benefits. Even if you are making less or even volunteering, the SSA may consider the work to be SGA if its physically or mentally significant.

    Sometimes, you dont need to look any further than your friends and family to lend a helping hand while you wait for SSD benefits. Once you are approved, you should easily be able to pay them back with the back pay youll receive. If youre friends and family arent able to help much, there may be some charities in your area that can provide some relief.

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    Musculoskeletal System And Connective Tissue

    The SSA reports that the largest category of diagnoses among disabled workers receiving disability benefits was diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. These disabilities, which represented 32.3 percent of the diagnoses, involve damage to ones nerves, muscles, tendons or ligaments. Examples of this type of disorder include:

    • ArthritisAn individual with rheumatoid arthritis, a disorder of the immune system, must experience significant limits on his or her ability to work to qualify for benefits under this medical diagnosis. Rheumatoid arthritis is sometimes referred to as a connective tissue disorder.
    • Back pain Abnormal curvature of the spine may affect an individuals ability to walk as well as the function of other body systems. The intensity of back pain and the limitations on an individuals ability to function are considered in a disability diagnosis related to back pain.
    • FibromyalgiaFibromyalgia is a complex syndrome in which a person has widespread pain in the joints, tendons, muscles and soft tissues that lasts for more than three months. Claims reviewers will try to assess whether there is adequate evidence to show that the condition limits a persons ability to perform any type of gainful work.
    • Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy RSD describes a range of symptoms that may occur from injury, diseases or surgery. RSD is characterized by intense burning or aching pain typically caused by trauma to a single extremity.

    Please Answer A Few Questions To Help Us Determine Your Eligibility

    A Broken System Is Failing Thousands of Americans With Disabilities

    How to stay afloat while you’re waiting for Social Security to approve your SSDI or SSI disability benefits is a tricky issue in most cases. What resources are there to help you while you wait? There are a few sources of assistance for those seeking Social Security Disability or SSI benefits based on disability.

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    You Start To Give Up Hope And Worry About The Future

    A lot of bad things can and did happen over the five years it took to start receiving benefits. Even when I was able to work full-time, it wasnt easy. I had to wake up earlier than normal just to be able to function because the stiffness in my joints was so bad first thing in the morning.

    There were times when I got to work in the morning and had to rest for a few moments in my car before heading in because my fatigue was so bad.

    But then there were days and weeks when I felt amazing and had no issues thats how it is sometimes with a disease like RA, which ebbs and flows, flares and subsides. These are the types of things I struggled to explain to SSA when applying and reapplying for disability benefits.

    Those years of not receiving any assistance had to be the scariest ones of my life. I was approaching my mid-20s and had to depend on family members for literally everything. I began to have serious worries about my future. Would I need to stay on disability forever? How would I explain my medical and financial situation to prospective love interests? And if I ever got married, the amount of disability I receive could be reduced or stopped altogether. This is because a portion of a spouses income and assets counts as yours. Talk about soul-stripping.

    The Use Of Coping Strategies Before At And After Application

    The average application duration is over 6 months, or approximately 200 days, but wait times are quite skewed to the left, as depicted by Figure. Specifically, the 25th percentile is 60 days, the median wait time is 101 days, and the 75th percentile is 152 days. The right tail is also quite long, with 12 percent of the sample waiting at least one year, and 5 percent of the sample waiting more than two years.

    Figure 1

    While not shown in the figures, we also find that home ownership declines, suggesting SSDI applicants could be using housing assets to support their consumption. In addition, the probability of changing address decreases over time. While applicants may borrow from credit cards to fund consumption while waiting, there is no significant correlation between borrowing from other financial resources and waiting time.

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    You Can Also File A Disability Claim:

    File your claim by mail using an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits .

    Print the form, fill it out, and send it to this address:

    Department of Veterans Affairs

    With the help of a trained professional

    You can work with a trained professional called an accredited representative to get help filing a claim for disability compensation.Get help filing your claim

    Overview Of Coping Strategies

    Workers Compensation Board Scheme  Workers Compensation

    We examine the following strategies SSDI applicants use to fund consumption while waiting: government transfers, including SNAP, UI, and workers compensation earnings of the spouse changing living arrangement borrowing from credit cards liquidation of housing assets. Given the complexity of these programs, we briefly discuss rules and regulations that are relevant for this study and how eligibility for each coping strategy is determined. Table summaries the use of each coping strategy at the time of application14.

    Table 4 The use of coping strategies at the month of application

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    Generally You Cannot Work Full Time While Applying For Disability Benefits

    In general, the Social Security Administration will not consider your claim if you work full time. While pushing through the pain or difficulty of your disability can help you receive a more substantial income now, it can make it difficult to be approved for disability benefits in the long run. The government may even view part time work as evidence that your condition is not an impairment and that you do not need disability benefits to meet your needs.

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