Social security

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Social security regulations are labyrinthine, and working out which social security benefits you are allowed to receive can be challenging. To help you, here are some answers to common questions about disability benefits received through Social Security. SSA is only for people whose disability is complete and who have been disabled (or are expected to be disabled) for one year or more, so there are no partial disability social security benefits. 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, if you are disabled but able to work for short periods or at a low level, you may be able to continue working while receiving social security benefits. The state agency that handles your case will consider how much you can earn. If your annual earnings fall under a certain amount, you will still be considered eligible for disability. 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 takes into account applicants' health, age, experience, and education when evaluating which jobs they are suited to do. Help is available for applicants who need assistance at moving from a lower paying job to a job that would enable them to support themselves. Many applicants are confused and annoyed by their social security agents' request to continue seeing doctors even after they have doctors' statements that there is no available medical treatment for the applicant's condition. If you are in this position, there is an explanation! First, the state agency in charge of your social security benefits may need more information to evaluate your case, and your regular doctors may not have the equipment or experience necessary to provide it. The agency may arrange for you to see another doctor. The visit is not for treatment; it is simply part of your case evaluation. Second, even untreatable conditions change, and not all disabilities are permanent. Regular examinations to chart the progress of your health are essential. Even without treatment, your condition may improve enough to allow you to return to work. And third, medical science comes up with treatments for "untreatable" conditions every year. Why let resignation steal a possible cure from you? It is a small nuisance compared to the huge lifestyle benefits you could reap.