Social Security Benefits
Posted by admin on Feb 6, 2009
It can be a challenge to wind your way through the labyrinthine Social Security regulations and find out which social security benefits you are eligible to receive. To smooth the process, here are answers to some of disability applicants’ most common questions.
There are no partial disability social security benefits, since SSA is designed only for people who are completely disabled and who have been (or are expected to be) disabled for at least a year. If you wish to file for partial disability, you will need to do so through a state or local program. Being denied disability benefits from SSA will not automatically disqualify you from receiving benefits through state and local programs.
However, even if you are deemed to be completely disabled, you can keep working while receiving disability social security benefits, provided you are sufficiently disabled that your work capacity is low. When you apply for disability, the state agency in charge of your case will assess your total earning capacity. If you can still work but your maximum possible income falls below a certain amount, you can still collect disability benefits. Note that the agency will consider how much you CAN earn, not how much you DO earn: If you could earn above the minimum by changing to a different job that you are trained to do and physically capable of doing, then you will be considered ineligible for social security benefits. You will not be pressured to do work you are not able to perform. The state agency will consider your experience, education, medical condition, and even age when evaluating your ability to change jobs. If you would be able to support yourself if you switched to a better job, training and job search assistance are available
Many applicants are told by their doctors that there is no further treatment for their condition, but their social security agents ask them to continue visiting doctors. If this is what you are dealing with right now, there is an explanation! First, your regular doctors may not be able to provide all of the information the state agency needs to evaluate your case. The agency will arrange for you to see a doctor who has the specialized experience or equipment necessary to complete the examination. The visit is not for treatment; it is simply part of your case evaluation.
Second, disability is not always permanent, and even untreatable conditions can improve. Regular examinations to chart the progress of your health are essential. Your health may improve enough that you can return to work, even without medical treatment.
And third, medical science comes up with treatments for “untreatable” conditions every year. Why miss out on a cure because you stopped going to the doctor out of resignation? It is a small nuisance compared to the huge lifestyle benefits you could reap.