DISABILITY BENEFIT TIP OF THE WEEK: When should I apply for Social Security Benefits?

In general, you should apply for Social Security Benefits as soon as possible. First, you want to get the process started as soon as possible. The initial decision can take anywhere from 3-6 months. If you are denied and must appeal, it can take another 3-6 months for the reconsideration. If you are again denied, it can take 12-24 months to get a hearing, depending on where you live. This means that the entire process can take up to 3 years! The sooner you apply, the sooner you can get the process started and the faster you can get your benefits.

By applying sooner rather than later, you can also maximize the amount of your benefit. Under the Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") program, your benefits are only payable from the first full month after the date you apply. For example, if you apply on September 30, 2008, your benefits would start as of October 2008, but if you wait until October 2, 2008, your benefits would not start for another month (November 2008). Just a few days of waiting can mean losing a month's worth of benefits.

Under the Social Security Disability program, your benefits are only payable for up to a year before you apply, depending on the date of the onset of your disability. Again, the longer you wait, the less money you are eligible to receive.

REMEMBER: Waiting to apply can cost you money! After getting your paperwork together and making sure your doctor is on board, you should submit your application to Social Security and get the process started.


Copyright (c) 2008 by John V. Tucker and Tucker & Ludin, P.A. All rights reserved. Any content borrowed or referenced from another source is referenced by citation to the original source as noted in the text above.

DISABILITY BENEFIT TIP OF THE WEEK: Filling out Forms

During the initial application process and throughout the life of your claim, your insurance company, the Social Security Administration, and even the Veteran's Administration may require you to fill out various forms. One of the most common forms they will request from you is an Activities of Daily Living form. This type of form has various names, including things like "Claimant Statement," but the common elements are questions about what you can and can't do (i.e., your limitations). Whatever it is called, these kinds of forms are VERY important. Here are some tips for filling them out:

- Be thorough in your responses. Do not give one word answers. For example, if the forms asks, "Do you need help preparing meals?" Do not write simply write "yes." Tell them why you need help. For example: "It hurts to stand long enough to make a meal, so my wife usually prepares them for me."

- Be specific. Do not say, "I cannot sit for a long time." Instead, say something like, "When I sit for more than 20 minutes, my lower back starts to really hurt and I have to stand up and move around." Quantify your answers. "A long time" means different things to different people.

- Give examples of ways your disability has limited your activities. For example, "I only take a shower if I know somebody else is home, because I am afraid I will lose consciousness and fall and no one will be there to help me," or "I went to the grocery store last week but could not finish my shopping because my legs started to hurt too much to continue."

- Avoid absolute statements unless they are always true. Do not say something like, "I cannot sit for more than 20 minutes." Instead say, "It usually hurts when I sit for more than 20 minutes." Insurance companies often get surveillance footage of people making claims. If an investigator gets footage of you driving for 30 minutes without interruption and they have your written statement saying that you cannot sit for more than 20 minutes, they will deny your claim because they think you are lying. Another example might be if you say that you cannot bend at the waist, they might catch you leaning over to check your mailbox.

- List all of your limitations. Most forms do not include a section to list your limitations that are not physical. If you experience fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory problems and/or irritability, etc., be sure to list those limitations.

-Do not be afraid to attach additional paper if the space provided for your answers is not sufficient.

In general, remember that you are trying to give the person that is deciding your claim a complete picture of your condition. Do not limit your answers simply because there is not much space provided for them. Always be truthful and thorough and it will help build your case from the very beginning.

Copyright (c) 2008 by John V. Tucker and Tucker & Ludin, P.A. All rights reserved. Any content borrowed or referenced from another source is referenced by citation to the original source as noted in the text above.

Disability Benefit Tip of the Week: How to Apply for Social Security Disability

There are three ways you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits:

• Online: At the Social Security Administration's website (http://ssa.gov/applyfordisability/). By submitting an online application, you can complete both Social Security's Application and Social Security's Adult Disability and Work History Report online.
• By Phone: Call Social Security at their toll-free phone number 1-800-772-1213, and they will schedule an appointment to call you back.
• In-Person: You can also go into your local Social Security office and tell them you want to apply for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits. To find the closest Social Security office to your home, use Social Security's zip code office locater on their website.

Before starting the application, you will want to have the following information handy:

• The name, address, phone number, and dates of treatment for any doctors or hospitals that have treated your for your condition
• The name, prescribing doctor, and side effects of any prescription medication
• Your work history for the past 15 years, including the dates of employment and the type of work that you did.

If you do not provide Social Security with this information, your case may be decided with less than a full set of facts. This may result in an unfavorable determination simply because Social Security could not get the information they needed to make a decision.

REMEMBER: BEFORE APPLYING, MAKE SURE TO HAVE A COMPLETE LIST OF YOUR MEDICAL TREATMENT, MEDICATION, AND WORK HISTORY AVAILABLE


Copyright (c) 2008 by John V. Tucker and Tucker & Ludin, P.A. All rights reserved. Any content borrowed or referenced from another source is referenced by citation to the original source as noted in the text above.

Apply for Social Security Disability....Online!

Did you know that you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits online? Yes, you can. It's easy. Simply go to the Social Security Website at http://ssa.gov/applyfordisability/, and follow the steps from there. It may take you some time to complete, but you can stop and start the application up to 3 times before you have to start over.

Copyright (c) 2008 by John V. Tucker and Tucker & Ludin, P.A. All rights reserved. Any content borrowed or referenced from another source is referenced by citation to the original source as noted in the text above.